a tubular hydrogen permeable metal membrane and fabrication process comprises obtaining a metal alloy foil having two surfaces , coating the surfaces with a metal or metal alloy catalytic layer to produce a hydrogen permeable metal membrane , sizing the membrane into a sheet with two long edges , wrapping the membrane around an elongated expandable rod with the two long edges aligned and overlapping to facilitate welding of the two together , placing the foil wrapped rod into a surrounding fixture housing with the two aligned and overlapping foil edges accessible through an elongated aperture in the surrounding fixture housing , expanding the elongated expandable rod within the surrounding fixture housing to tighten the foil about the expanded rod , welding the two long overlapping foil edges to one another generating a tubular membrane , and removing the tubular membrane from within the surrounding fixture housing and the expandable rod from with the tubular membrane .