Süddeutsche Erdgasleitung (SEL): ARGE SEL 03 / DN 1000

With the section between Heidelberg and Heilbronn, the Süddeutsche Erdgasleitung (SEL) grows by another 61 kilometres. Pipeline Equipment supplies the ARGE SEL 03 with equipment for laying the DN 1000 pipes – directly to the ARGE site store in Sinsheim.

Project overview: The Heidelberg–Heilbronn section

The SEL is a gas pipeline of around 250 kilometres operated by the transmission system operator Terranets BW, running from Hesse through Baden-Württemberg to Bavaria. It is being built in sections as demand requires. The ARGE SEL 03 section runs from Heidelberg via Eppelheim, Leimen, Gaiberg, Wiesloch, Mauer, Meckesheim, Spechbach, Epfenbach, Neckarbischofsheim, Helmstadt-Bargen, Hüffenhardt, Siegelsbach and Bad Rappenau to Heilbronn.

Initially, the SEL will transport natural gas and connect modern gas-fired power plants. From the early 2030s, as part of the hydrogen core network, it is to carry hydrogen to the Rhine-Neckar region and the Stuttgart area.

Customer and partners: The ARGE SEL 03

The section is being built by the joint venture ARGE SEL 03, made up of Friedrich Vorwerk SE & Co. KG, PPS Pipeline Systems GmbH, HABAU Hoch- und Tiefbaugesellschaft m.b.H. and Bohlen & Doyen Bau GmbH – the same partners we already worked with on SEL 01.

Construction period: Commissioning at the end of 2026

The network operator Terranets BW has been building the section in stages since August 2025. As of October 2026, pipeline construction between Hüffenhardt and Leimen and between Siegelsbach and Heilbronn is complete. Between Heidelberg and Leimen, the pipeline is being laid underground over three kilometres using a drilling method. At the end of 2026, the section is to be connected to the existing network in Heidelberg and Heilbronn, and the land is expected to be restored by summer 2027.

Our company has been supplying the ARGE since the first order in autumn 2025. Deliveries follow the progress of construction, directly to the site store as required.

Products and technology: Equipment for DN 1000

For lifting, aligning and preparing the DN 1000 pipes, Pipeline Equipment supplied:

• External line-up clamps DN 1000 in a hydraulic version and a version without hydraulic cylinder, for precise alignment of the pipe ends before welding
• Ratchet tensioners for the external line-up clamps
• Pipe hooks with a 12 t load capacity for safe lifting of the pipes
• Chain slings in 1-, 2- and 4-leg versions, including a custom-made 2-leg chain with a 22.4 t load capacity and coupling connection
• Welding blankets DN 1000 to protect the welds
• Night caps DN 1000 to keep dirt and moisture out of the pipes
• Osborn wheel brushes for surface treatment and weld preparation

Services by Pipeline Equipment

In addition to supplying equipment, Pipeline Equipment supported the ARGE SEL 03 with these services:

• Express deliveries: When material is missing on site, every day counts. We dispatch urgent orders from Gladbeck at short notice.
• Delivery directly to the construction site: to the ARGE site store in Sinsheim.
• Custom versions: We assemble lifting chains to the specifications of the construction site.
• Rental: Equipment that is only needed for individual construction phases is also available for rent.

Conclusion: Equipment for tomorrow’s hydrogen infrastructure

The Heidelberg–Heilbronn section is an important building block for the energy supply in Baden-Württemberg – today for natural gas, from the 2030s for hydrogen. Pipeline Equipment supports the ARGE SEL 03 with equipment for DN 1000, fast deliveries and rental equipment. After SEL 01, this is already our second section of the Süddeutsche Erdgasleitung. Building a pipeline and need equipment for large diameters? Get in touch with us.