Paper deals with some of the problems of meeting increasing demands on the distribution system, and the techniques and criteria used in evaluating distribution projects to obtain maximum value. It is aimed at assisting anyone interested in the problems of distribution planning, whether salesman, accountant or engineer, in the belief that the best value can only be achieved by everyone involved in the process of supplying gas understanding each other's problems as well as they possibly can. The objective of the Distribution Planning Engineer is to provide for an adequate supply of gas to all our customers at a minimum cost, commensurate with sound practice. Good design must not only embrace performance, it must take account of economy. The notion that an engineer should think about costs as well as performance has been termed ″value engineering″ , and the Distribution Planning Engineer is always seeking to reduce costs without reducing performance, and with providing performance matched to meet demand. To provide performance in excess of requirements is clearly a waste of resources.
