Oxford Flow secures multi-million-pound five-year Cadent agreement

Oxford Flow, the flow control equipment specialist, has secured a landmark long-term agreement with Cadent, the UK’s largest gas distribution network, with the potential for several million pounds of spend over five years for its Pressure Reducing Integrated Subterranean Module (PRISM) technology.

This is a modern replacement for pressure regulation equipment across Cadent’s network, which covers North West England, West and East Midlands, South Yorkshire, Eastern England and North London, helping to improve reliability and reduce emissions.

The agreement follows three years of collaboration between Oxford Flow and Cadent’s engineering and operations teams in the North West to develop, test and prove PRISM as a replacement for existing Engineering Research Station (ERS) modules.

ERS modules are underground pressure regulation assets that have formed a critical part of the UK gas network for decades. There are thousands of modules in the UK. Aligned to Cadent’s drive for resilient, efficient and environmentally friendly assets, and as the ERS modules reach the end of their intended operational lifespan, Oxford Flow has worked closely with Cadent to develop a technology solution that can be integrated into existing asset infrastructure with minimal modification.

PRISM provides a retrofit solution that matches the flow capacity of legacy equipment while improving reliability, serviceability and reducing emissions. Crucially, it allows existing underground stations to remain in place, avoiding the cost and disruption of relocating installations above ground, where replacement components can cost £60,000 per site.

PRISM can also be serviced on site by trained network engineers. While legacy ERS modules can require removal and specialist off-site maintenance with lead times of up to six months, PRISM maintenance can be completed on site in approximately five minutes, helping improve network reliability and reduce operational disruption.

Neil Poxon, CEO at Oxford Flow, commented: “This agreement is a major milestone for Oxford Flow and the result of three years of close work with Cadent. Working directly with the people operating and maintaining these assets has enabled us to develop a solution that meets their needs and gives this critical infrastructure a new lease of life. This five-year agreement is an exciting next step in our relationship and creates an opportunity to solve the same problem elsewhere across the European gas network.”

Nick Jerman, Head of Safety and Engineering in Cadent’s North West Network, said: “Maintaining the reliability and safety of our network means finding practical, long-term solutions for infrastructure that has been in service for many years. Existing legacy ERS equipment presents a particular challenge because replacement components are becoming harder to source, while conventional replacement can involve significant cost and disruption. We have enjoyed collaborating closely with Oxford Flow and look forward to deploying this technology across our UK networks.”

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