Hydrogen’s promise as a clean energy carrier depends on a single, stubborn challenge: how to store it safely, compactly, and affordably under pressure. Nations are beginning to invest more in green hydrogen, against a backdrop of increasingly stringent decarbonization targets in Europe and the emergence of new production hubs throughout the Gulf. There’s no doubt that the race is on to find materials and technologies that can handle hydrogen’s light, volatile nature at ever higher pressures.

That’s where Tenaris’s THera® technology comes in. Combining decades of metallurgical expertise with a fully integrated production process, Tenaris has positioned itself as a global leader in high-pressure hydrogen storage. Its THera® vessels, developed and produced at its Dalmine mill in Italy, are now being deployed worldwide—from Europe to the Middle East—to fuel the next phase of the energy transition.

Alasdair Beveridge, Tenaris Sales Manager for the Gas Cylinder Division, speaks with the measured confidence of someone who has witnessed an industrial niche evolve into a thriving market. A Glaswegian by origin, he has spent over two decades with the company, transitioning from oil and gas to hydrogen systems. “We’re unique in the sense that we are providing a complete steel solution,” he says. “We cover the entire chain, from steel production in our electric arc furnace in Dalmine, to rolling, expanding, and forming the finished vessel. We control that whole process.”

Vertical integration is rare in the hydrogen world. Most competitors buy their tubes from external suppliers and then have the cylinders forged or assembled elsewhere. “Controlling the metallurgy means controlling reliability,” Beveridge explains. “And when you’re talking about hydrogen, that reliability becomes non-negotiable.”

Hydrogen atoms are small, highly mobile, and prone to diffusing into metals, which can lead to hydrogen embrittlement—a form of microscopic damage that weakens materials, especially under cyclic pressurization. Tenaris’s engineers have developed dedicated steel alloys tested to perform under high-pressure hydrogen environments. “We’ve designed the large vessel with hydrogen embrittlement in mind, ensuring it can safely operate throughout its full-service life,” points out Beveridge.

The result is Tenaris’s THera® technology, utilized in a new generation of high-performance steel storage systems capable of withstanding pressures up to 1,034 bar (15,000 psi). Each vessel undergoes extensive testing and is certified under the world’s most stringent standards, including ASME and PED codes. The steel itself is fully recyclable and has been verified for fatigue resistance, a crucial property for the frequent pressurization cycles required by hydrogen infrastructure.

Although composite materials, such as carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, are lightweight and have attracted attention for mobility applications, Beveridge also points out several practical challenges. These include limited resistance to sudden temperature changes and fire, sensitivity to rapid discharge processes, the inability to discharge them entirely, the complexity of periodic inspection procedures, a generally shorter service life, and the significant difficulties or high costs associated with their end-of-life reuse or recycling. “Our steel solution may be heavier, but it’s robust, well-known, and can be requalified and reused. It’s a proven path.”

A striking example of THera® in use is Tenaris’s delivery of nine storage vessels for Oman’s first green hydrogen refueling station, developed by Hydrogen Systems near Muscat International Airport. The installation supports a fleet of hydrogen-fueled taxis and operates as part of Oman’s national push to produce 1.2 million tons of green hydrogen annually by 2030.

The station’s eight 1,034-bar vessels and one 550-bar unit can store enough hydrogen to power 15 zero-emission vehicles daily. Beyond refueling, the facility also integrates EV charging and traditional fueling, a microcosm of the multi-energy future now unfolding across the Gulf.

“Collaborating with Hydrogen Systems was a great opportunity to expand deployment of our highest-pressure systems,” says Beveridge. “It shows what’s possible when you combine advanced metallurgy with modular engineering.”

When Beveridge joined Tenaris’s cylinder division in 2012, “the market needed 200-bar storage. That was it.” A decade later, hydrogen refueling stations routinely demand pressures of 500 to 1,000 bar to accommodate cars, buses, and soon heavy-duty vehicles. “If we hadn’t looked ahead, we’d be out of the market,” he says. “We learned early that you have to anticipate needs that may not even exist yet.”

The company’s evolution mirrors hydrogen’s rapid rise from a research topic to an industrial frontier. THera systems are designed not only for mobility applications but also for industrial use cases, including energy buffering for wind and solar power, feedstock for green steel or ammonia production, and large-scale hydrogen transport. “Refueling stations are just the tip of the iceberg,” Beveridge says. “The bigger opportunity lies in hard-to-abate industries—steelmaking, chemicals, heavy transport—where hydrogen can replace fossil fuels at scale.”

The green hydrogen boom has captivated policymakers and investors alike. Produced through electrolysis powered by renewable energy, it emits no CO₂ at the point of use and offers a route to decarbonize sectors that batteries can’t reach. Yet it comes with caveats.

Production remains expensive; electrolysis consumes significant amounts of power, and transporting hydrogen over long distances introduces additional costs and efficiency losses. Infrastructure — from compressors to refueling networks — requires a capital-intensive build-out. Safety standards must keep pace with innovation.

Still, the advantages are clear. Hydrogen can store excess renewable energy, stabilize power grids, and power long-haul vehicles without the weight penalties associated with batteries. In industrial clusters or ports where hydrogen can be produced and consumed locally, the economics are improving fast.

Beveridge’s view is pragmatic: “It’s not about one perfect solution. It’s about developing reliable and scalable systems that enable each market to move forward at its own pace. THera® storage systems are one of those enablers.”

As hydrogen scales, international normative frameworks are catching up, an area where Tenaris plays an active role. “We’re involved globally in steering regulatory frameworks,” Beveridge notes. “Associations like ISO and ASME are defining how large pressure vessels should be designed, tested, and certified. We help guide those discussions.”

That participation matters. With safety under intense scrutiny and new players entering the field, trust in the integrity of materials and manufacturing is critical. By bringing its integrated steel expertise into the regulatory arena, Tenaris helps set the benchmarks for reliability that the broader hydrogen economy will depend on.

For all its technical depth, Tenaris’s next step is surprisingly simple: make hydrogen easy. “Customers don’t just want cylinders anymore,” Beveridge says. “They want integrated, plug-and-play packages.” Tenaris is responding by collaborating with supply chain partners to deliver modular rack systems: complete storage assemblies that can be shipped worldwide in containers and quickly installed on site. “The challenge now is providing the whole package, from dedicated painting and racks to all the accessories, so that customers can just place it down and connect,” he explains.

From Dalmine, Tenaris has shipped THera® storage systems to Oman, North America, Australia, and New Zealand, underscoring the company’s expanding global reach. “Hydrogen may be produced locally,” Beveridge adds, “but the standards and technology have to work globally.”

Looking ahead five to ten years, Beveridge expects steady diversification. Refueling networks will continue to expand, but the most significant volumes will come from industrial uses, particularly energy storage, green steel, and heavy transport. As production costs fall and infrastructure matures, hydrogen will shift from pilot projects to mainstream supply chains.

Hydrogen may be the lightest element, but storing it safely demands some of the heaviest expertise. Tenaris’s THera® technology embodies that paradox: advanced metallurgy rooted in old-school industrial mastery.

In a sector crowded with experimental materials and unproven startups, Tenaris stands apart for its end-to-end control, proven steel reliability, and willingness to push technical boundaries without losing sight of practicality. As the world leans harder on hydrogen to balance its energy mix, THera®’s quiet strength could well define the standard for a cleaner, more pressurized future.