AbstractA number of sophisticated algorithms exist for the optimization of large‐scale systems. However, from a practical viewpoint one must always balance the cost of such optimization in applications with the saving that results. This paper presents a simplified algorithm for large‐scale gas networks which, although yielding a suboptimal energy saving, is nevertheless simple to apply and demands only moderate back‐up facilities. To illustrate the proposed method an example is chosen in which there are fifty nodes and three compre