The Resource Efficiency Segment of the Essen-based Evonik Group received the European Plastics Innovation Award in the “Material Innovation” category for its use of polyamide 12 (PA 12) VESTAMID® NRG in high-pressure gas pipelines. European Plastics Converters (EuPC), the Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe, and the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) had organized the joint award for the first time in eight different categories. It recognizes companies that have attracted public attention with particularly innovative developments in plastics Technology.

VESTAMID® NRG offers an outstanding property profile for high-pressure pipelines and enables gas utilities to effectively build up their subterranean pipeline networks without any concern about losses in throughput performance. A number of installations, including in the U.S., Brazil, Mexico and Indonesia, have demonstrated that pipes made of PA 12 allow for significant savings in labor and installation cost compared to steel.

In its rationale for the award, the jury, made up of representatives from universities, politics, NGOs and the media, highlighted Evonik’s decade-long intensive research that resulted in gas pipe materials for the high-pressure segment up to 18 bar and their installation, along with the company’s efforts to support the requisite approvals. The most recent step in the safety-relevant authorization of the material is its inclusion in the test specification by the German Association of Gas and Water (DVGW) of December 2015, entitled “Plastic piping systems in gas and water distribution; GW335-A6: Pipes made of PA-U 160 and PA-U 180 and associated fittings and joints.”

“This test specification will pave the way for installations in Germany,” says Markus Hartmann, Head of the Oil & Gas segment, who oversees the Evonik business with VESTAMID® NRG. “Our experiences with installations involving our coordinated system of straight and rolled-up pipes from 32 to 160 mm made of VESTAMID® NRG and the associated fittings have been very good so far. The award will encourage us to further advance this application.” The flexible selection of length–especially over extended installation sections–saves time and cost because fewer welding seams are required. Installers can use the same equipment as for PE pipes. In addition, no anti-corrosive treatment is required and the material enables trenchless installation, which also lowers cost.