#OurLockdownStory: the incredible story of upgrading almost 7km of gas mains in record-breaking time

#ourlockdownstory

A £635,000 project to renew an ageing gas main on one of Staffordshire’s busiest traffic routes overcame a catalogue of obstacles to finish in record-breaking time - and with no complaints.
 
Cadent and its construction management partners for the West Midlands - Arcadis-Network Plus - upgraded nearly 7km of iron gas mains on the busy A34, between Stafford and Stone, in just eight weeks, earning them a pat on the back from Staffordshire Highways Authority.
 
The ageing mains were replaced with tough new plastic pipes that will keep the gas flowing to local homes and businesses into the next century.

At 6.7 kilometres, the project is one of the largest to be undertaken as part of a 300km construction management contract being delivered between June 2019 and March 2021.
 
However, busy traffic, water leaking into the old gas main, nearby high-voltage electricity cables and gas and water pipes, and, just for good measure, a global pandemic also made it one of the most challenging.
 
Thanks to thorough planning, good communications and a dash of ingenuity, colleagues not only overcame the difficulties but also managed to slash the number of days they were working in the road by 30 and cut the number of excavations needed by 65%.
 
Richard Cook, project manager for the 300km programme of works, said: “Projects like this are critical to keeping our underground gas pipes in good condition so we can deliver gas safely and reliably to the homes, businesses and public services that rely on it.
 
“This is an exemplary project. Despite all the challenges they faced, colleagues still managed to complete it ahead of schedule, reducing disruption to the public, and with no complaints.”
 
With the ageing gas pipe nestled amongst a host of high pressure gas mains, high-voltage electricity cables and a large water pipe, engineers turned to alternative technologies and working methods to avoid damaging the other utilities. These included using a vacuum extractor, rather than excavators, to suck out the spoil so operatives could work on the pipe.
 
And when the project had to be halted after some 1200 litres of water was discovered to have leaked into old main, rapid action was taken to help customers whose gas supplies were affected. Colleagues acted quickly to fix the problem, restore gas and get the project back on the road.
 
Even the global Covid-19 pandemic couldn’t hinder the project’s progress. Engineers quickly adopted new safety practices, donning appropriate PPE, regular handwashing and observing social distancing wherever possible.

How we’ve kept gas flowing, supported the UK Government Covid-19 emergency response, looked after our customers, looked after ourselves, and focussed on our future energy needs – this is #OurLockdownStory. Follow our social media channels and this page of our website www.cadentgas.com/ourlockdownstory for more in this special series showcasing the amazing achievements of Cadent’s #keyworkers

Cadent

Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy.  We are in a unique position to build on strong foundations whilst encouraging the curiosity to think differently and the courage to embrace change.  Day to day we continue to operate, maintain and innovate the UK’s largest gas network, transporting gas safely and protecting people in an emergency.   Our skilled engineers and specialists remain committed to the communities we serve, working day and night to ensure gas reaches 11 million homes from Cumbria to North London and the Welsh Borders to East Anglia, to keep your energy flowing. 

Future of Gas: Here at Cadent we support the Government’s plans to reach Net Zero by 2050. That means we’re backing the introduction of hydrogen as a low carbon alternative to natural gas for the future. We know people love the controllability of gas and, with our network already in place, it makes sense to switch to the lower carbon alternative offered by hydrogen, which we believe can keep homes and businesses warm for generations to come.

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Media contacts

Rebecca Wright

rebecca.wright1@cadentgas.com

07899 983792