Reducing Purging and Venting Emissions from Gas Network Operations
The iX programme is supporting Cadent Gas to find innovators who can provide solutions to reduce methane emissions arising from purging and venting activities, building on learning from an ongoing project with ROSEN (UK) LTD focused on; - improving how gas network interventions are planned and executed to reduce methane emissions. - how the configuration of gas quality and pressure controls can be re-configured / replaced to negate the need to release natural gas.
Opportunity
Challenge opens
10/03/2026
Challenge closes
20/04/2026
Benefit
Cadent Gas is looking for innovative solutions that can significantly reduce or eliminate purging and venting emissions during gas network operations. Successfully addressing this challenge could lead to material reductions in methane emissions and associated environmental impacts, while also delivering operational cost savings through avoided gas losses and reduced carbon and compliance costs. Solutions may also enhance safety during commissioning, maintenance and decommissioning, improve operational efficiency, and minimise disruption to live networks, supporting Cadent’s net zero and sustainability ambitions. Selected solution(s) may be trialled through pilot studies, with the potential for wider deployment across the network and longer‑term collaboration with Cadent Gas.
Background
Cadent Gas is the UK’s largest gas distribution network. It is responsible for safely delivering gas to millions of homes and businesses across the country.
During normal gas network activities, such as construction, maintenance, inspection, and commissioning of equipment, it is sometimes necessary to purge or vent gas from parts of the network to allow work to be carried out safely. These processes are well‑established and essential for safe operations, but they can result in the intentional release of methane to the atmosphere.
In addition to these planned activities, methane can also be released during routine automatic operations on the gas network. This includes equipment such as valve controllers, odorant injection systems (which add the safety smell to gas), and gas quality monitoring equipment, all of which may periodically release small amounts of gas as part of their normal function.
Cadent is working with ROSEN (UK) LTD on a project to better understand, measure, and reduce emissions from purging and venting activities. This collaboration is generating valuable insights, and we are now looking to expand the initiative by bringing additional experts on board to explore a broader range of potential solutions.
This challenge aims to attract new technologies, methods, and operational approaches that could reduce, avoid, or capture methane emissions, complement existing practices, and support safer, more efficient, and lower‑carbon gas network operations. Cadent intends to implement these changes within the next two years and therefore requires any potential solutions to be developed to a Technology readiness level of 4+. To support such implementation, Cadent also intend to prioritise those technologies that provide a demonstratable high impact in emission reduction. Therefore, supporting evidence to illustrate any previous successes would be advantageous.
This challenge is brought to you by:
