Scottish Emergency Branch Saddle Application

Flowstopping | Minimuss Line Stop/Kleiss System

In February an accidental incident occurred that resulted in a 10” gas main being damaged, and a hole being drilled into the main. The incident was near to the main railway line between Edinburgh and Aberdeen. This incident posed significant risks to public safety, property and caused major disruptions to train services and local facilities in Carnoustie, Scotland.

Project Challenges

  • Risk of Accident
    The proximity of the damaged pipeline to the train line heightened the risk of a potential gas leak, necessitating a swift resolution.

  • Major Disruption
    The incident led to the suspension of train services, requiring immediate deployment of rail replacement buses and evacuation of nearby facilities.

  • Access Difficulties
    The damaged pipeline traversed multiple properties and railway infrastructure, posing challenges for repair works within a tight timeframe.

  • Potential Impact
    As a critical gas supply line, shutting off the gas flow for repairs would have affected numerous properties, requiring extensive safety checks upon restoration.

The Radius Subterra Solution

  • Emergency Response
    The gas network owner promptly engaged Radius Subterra, a specialist pipeline engineering company known for its immense technical expertise spanning decades and bespoke solutions.

  • Collaborative Approach
    Radius Subterra collaborated with the gas network owner to devise an innovative solution that ensured continuous gas flow while addressing the damage.

  • Unique Solution
    Radius Subterra installed a Minimuss 150mm outlet branch saddle on the damaged 268mm pipeline, creating a bypass to maintain gas flow safely. This allowed the gas to continue flowing while repairs were underway.

  • Damage Encapsulation
    To permanently fix the leak, Radius Subterra fitted a Minimuss 250mm branch saddle over the damaged section, securing the pipeline and preventing further leakage. This was completed by blanking the outlet off, ensuring a safe and permanent solution.

Key Benefits

Minimised Disruption

The innovative solution averted the need for replacing the entire pipeline, mitigating disruption to transportation and local facilities. Train services could resume promptly.

Enhanced Safety

Rapid response and collaboration ensured the safety of nearby residents, passengers, and properties, preventing potential accidents. Evacuation measures could be lifted quickly.

Cost Efficiency

By swiftly resolving the issue, both the financial and societal costs associated with prolonged disruption were minimised. Rail replacement services and evacuation measures were in place for a shorter duration.

Conclusion

The successful collaboration between the gas network owner and Radius Subterra demonstrates the importance of proactive emergency response and innovative problem-solving in critical infrastructure incidents.


By prioritising safety and efficiency, the teams effectively mitigated risks, minimised disruptions, and ensured the swift restoration of essential services. The use of bespoke solutions tailored to the unique challenges of the situation highlights the value of specialised expertise in managing such incidents effectively.

Categories Flowstopping . Gas

Resources

Flowstopping benefits brochure – (PDF)

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Pipeline Challenge Terms & Conditions

  1. The Promoter
    • The promoter is: Radius Subterra Limited, with registration number 01147475 and its registered address at Radius House, Berristow Lane, South Normanton, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 2JJ.
  2. The competition
    • The title of the competition is Pipeline Challenge.
  3. How to enter
    • The competition will run from 09:00 BST on 29 September 2026 (the “Opening Date“) to 17:00 BST on 1 October 2026  (the “Closing Date”) inclusive.
    • All competition entries received after the Closing Date are automatically disqualified.
    • To enter the competition:
      • Entrants must scan the QR code displayed within the Pipeline Engineering Village at No-Dig Live 2026 at stand G56 and complete the online entry form.
      • Entries must include:
        • description of an industry challenge, operational issue or engineering idea;
        • relevant sector;
        • supporting background information;
        • entrant’s full name (first name and surname);
        • company name; and
        • email address.
      • No purchase is necessary and no payment is required to enter.
      • The Promoter will not accept:
        • responsibility for competition entries that are corrupted, not successfully completed or transmitted, lost, mislaid, damaged or delayed in transit, regardless of cause, including, for example, as a result of any postal failure, equipment failure, technical malfunction, systems, satellite, network, server, website, computer hardware or software failure of any kind; or
        • proof of posting or transmission as proof of receipt of entry to the competition.
      • By submitting a competition entry, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.
      • Entries will be reviewed after the event by a judging panel comprising representatives of the Promoter and Flowstop Services Limited (“Judging Panel”). One winner will be selected. Entries will be assessed against the following criteria:
        • relevance to the pipeline and utility sectors;
        • potential industry impact;
        • originality; and
        • potential for development into a practical engineering solution.

The Promoter will take reasonable steps to ensure judges are independent of the entrants and that any conflicts of interest are declared and managed.

  1. Eligibility
    • Entries are limited to attendees aged 18 years or over of No‑Dig Live 2026 scanning the QR code at the event. The Promoter reserves the right to verify attendance.
    • The following cannot enter:
      • employees of the Promoter or its holding or subsidiary companies;
      • employees of agents or suppliers of the Promoter or its holding or subsidiary companies, who are professionally connected with the competition or its administration; or
      • members of the immediate families or households of (a) and (b) above.
    • In entering the competition, you confirm that you are eligible to do so and eligible to claim the prize. The Promoter may require you to provide proof that you are eligible to enter the competition.
    • Entries must primarily reflect the entrant’s own original analysis, reasoning and creative input. The Promoter may disqualify entries where it reasonably believes the submission has been substantially generated by artificial intelligence (including but not limited to chatbots such as ChatGPT or similar software applications).
    • There is a limit of one entry per person. Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed.
    • The Promoter reserves all rights to disqualify you if your conduct is contrary to the spirit or intention of the prize competition.
    • Competition entries cannot be returned.
    • By entering, you confirm that your entry is your own original work, does not infringe the rights (including intellectual property and confidentiality rights) of any third party, and that you have obtained any necessary permissions from your employer or any third party to submit the entry and to grant the rights described in clause 9.
    • Do not include confidential or commercially sensitive information in your entry.
  2. The prize
    • The prize is £200 worth of vouchers, redeemable at Amazon, subject to the issuer’s terms including any expiry date.
    • The prize is subject to availability. There is no cash alternative. The Promoter reserves the right to substitute the prize with a prize of equal or greater value.
    • The prize is not negotiable or transferable.
  3. Winners
    • The decision of the Judging Panel is final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.
    • The Promoter will contact the winner by email within 14 days after the Closing Date using the email address provided in the entry.
    • The Promoter will publish the winner’s name and company on LinkedIn within 21 days after the Closing Date (the “Announcement Date”)
    • If you object to any or all of your name and winning entry being published or made available, please contact the Promoter at Radius Subterra Limited, Radius House, Berristow Lane, South Normanton, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 2JJ or email Radius.subterra@radiussubterra.com. In such circumstances, the Promoter must still provide the information and winning entry to the Advertising Standards Authority on request.
  4. Claiming the prize
    • Please allow 14 days for delivery of the prize by e-mail.
    • If the winner cannot be contacted, is not available, or has not claimed the prize within 14 days of the Announcement Date, the Promoter reserves the right to offer the prize to the next highest‑ranked eligible entry as determined by the Judging Panel from the entries received before the Closing Date.
  5. Limitation of liability

Insofar as is permitted by law, the Promoter, its agents or distributors will not in any circumstances be responsible or liable to compensate the winner or accept any liability for any loss, damage, personal injury or death occurring as a result of taking up the prize except where it is caused by the negligence of the Promoter, its agents or distributors or that of their employees. Your statutory rights are not affected.

  1. Ownership of competition entries and intellectual property rights
    • Entries will not be returned. Do not include confidential or commercially sensitive information in your entry.
    • For all entries, you grant the Promoter a worldwide, non‑exclusive, royalty‑free licence to use, review and evaluate your entry for the purposes of administering and judging the competition.
    • If you are selected as the winner, as a condition of receiving the prize you agree to assign to the Promoter, with full title guarantee, all intellectual property rights in your winning entry and to waive your moral rights in the winning entry. You agree to execute any documents reasonably required to perfect such assignment.
    • You warrant that your entry is your own original work, does not infringe any third‑party rights, and that you have all necessary rights and permissions to submit the entry and grant the rights set out in these terms.
  2. Data protection and publicity
    • The Promoter will process your personal data as controller for the purposes of administering the competition (including judging, winner notification and publication). Further details, including lawful bases, recipients, retention periods, your rights, and how to exercise them, are set out in our Privacy Policy available at Privacy Policy. See also condition 3 and condition 6.4, with regard to the announcement of winners.
  3. General
    • If there is any reason to believe that there has been a breach of these terms and conditions, the Promoter may, at its sole discretion, reserve the right to exclude you from participating in the competition.
    • The Promoter may void, suspend, cancel, or amend the competition where necessary due to events outside its reasonable control and will do so acting reasonably.
    • These terms and conditions are governed by English law. If any entrants to this promotion wish to take court proceedings, then they must do this within the courts in the United Kingdom.