TREATMENT OF WATER FROM BORE HOLE USING MORINGA OLEIFERA SEED AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVATED CARBON

MODELLING, SIMULATION AND SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF A FATTY ACID METHYL ESTER (FAME) REACTIVE DISTILLATION (RD) PROCESS USING ASPEN PLUS

ABSTRACT

Reactive distillation, being an intensified process of combining reaction and distillation in a single vessel, is an ongoing research. This work considered the use of this novel process to investigate the esterification of a fatty acid methyl ester, an alternative fuel, biodiesel, which is a potential economic bedrock via modelling, simulation and sensitivity analysis in Aspen Plus. The selection of FAME was conducted based on the source of the oil for quality biodiesel and on its compatibility with the software; these led to the selection of oleic acid as the fatty acid of the process. A reactive distillation process for a reaction between oleic acid and methanol was then set up in the Aspen environment and tested for convergence, after a successful simulation, two operating parameters (reflux ratio and reboiler duty) were varied from 2.0-5.5 and 1350-1800 W, respectively. Afterwards, graphical representations of composition profiles, temperature profiles and sensitivities of mole-fraction to reboiler duty at different reflux ratios were obtained. Results obtained showed that a reflux ratio of 2.0 was most compatible with a reboiler duty of 1800 W to produce a methyl oleate mole fraction of 0.7627 in the bottom product. Given the novelty of this process in comparison with the conventional independent reaction and separation, more experiments should be carried out to help show any discrepancy between reality and simulation world.

PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO THE MARKETING OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS IN SOUTH EAST, NIGERIA

INTRODUCTION

Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural resources of which petroleum products play a major role. At present, Nigeria is the ninth world producer and sixth world exporter of crude oil. On the domestic economy, the petroleum sector generates over 90% of the country’s foreign exchange earnings, and provides employment in various forms to Nigerians (Central Bank of Nigeria Annual Report and Statement of Accounts, 2010). In addition, the tremendous growth in oil earnings has influenced significantly Nigeria’s international relations, and sometimes the politics of oil has taken centre stage in the nation’s history of international relations in the last few decades.

Eromosele (1997) observed that after almost half a century of oil exploration in Nigeria, the oil industry is earning a mature status in comparison to other industries in the country such that significant progress has been made in terms of oil exploration and sale of crud oil abroad. Unfortunately, the domestic management of petroleum resources is fraught with a number of problems. There are occasional product shortages, inefficient product distribution and contending pump price of petrol. These problems are compounded by ethnic and civil disturbances
in the Nigeria-Delta oil producing areas. This situation sometimes leads to destruction and vandalization of oil pipelines, disturbances in operation of the oil explorations and damage to life and properties

THE OPERATION OF PIPELINE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out on the Operation Of Pipeline Mode Of Transportation In Nigeria. It was premised on the notion of the scarcity of refined petroleum products across the country in spite of the agitated advantages that pipeline transport mode is said to have over some other alternative transport modes considering the nature of product involved. Other observed problems that prompted the carrying out of this study include: pipeline vandalization, aging pipelines and the ulterior motives of the management of pipeline and products marketing company (PPMC) regarding the volume of petroleum products moved to the various depots (regions) of the country. A number of specific objectives sought to be achieved in the study included: (i) determine the effect of the use of pipeline transport mode on the availability of petroleum products in South East, Nigeria; (ii) identify the major challenges confronting pipeline transportation of petroleum products;

(iii) determine the relative effect of pipeline vandalization; capacity underutilization; and PPMC management ulterior motive; on the scarcity of petroleum products in South-East Nigeria; and (iv) determine the strategies for effective management of petroleum products pipeline transportation operation in southeast Nigeria. A cross sectional survey design method was adopted. A random sample of 217 (106 from Enugu and 111 from Aba) staff of the Aba and Enugu NNPC Depots, determined by using Taro Yamane’s sample size determination formula, were covered in the research survey. Hypotheses were tested by using: (i) Spearman’s Ranked Correlation (rho) and t-Test for the first hypothesis; (ii) Univariate Chi-square (X²) for hypothesis two; (iii) Multiple Regression Analysis for hypothesis three; and (iv) Kolmogorov Z-Test for the fourth hypothesis. The findings of the study revealed that: Pipeline transportation mode has significant (t_cal = 29.04, t_cal = 28.33 > t_tab = 1.984) suitable effect on the availability of petroleum products in southeast Nigeria; (ii) Small pipeline diameter and pipeline vandalisation are the significant (X² = 68.105, X² = 11.488, p < 0.05) major challenge confronting petroleum products transportation; (iii) Pipeline vandalization, capacity underutilisation and PPMC management ulterior motive have significant (F_{(3, 205)} = 323.004, p < 0.05) relative effect on the scarcity of petroleum products; and finally; (iv) Replacing the petroleum product pipelines with the ones with wider diameter and controlling the transportation operations remotely are effective strategies (Z = 4.028, p < 0.05) for aiding management of petroleum products pipeline transportation in southeast Nigeria. Based on the findings and the set main objective of the study, it was concluded that pipeline transport mode remains the most suitable means of transporting petroleum products not only because it is fast but because it can deliver much barrels of petroleum products than trucks/tankers can and also, it is safer. It was however recommended that, petroleum pipeline transportation operations should be remotely controlled from the pump stations so that if there is any disruption in the operation, it would be identified on time before it causes any fire outbreak; also, security guards should be deployed to areas particularly the networks through which the pipelines are laid so that any attempt of vandalisation would be combated out; pipelines should be replaced with wider diameter ones so that they can transport more barrels and quicker than before; the needs of Nigerian petroleum product consumers should be made preclude the oil industry’s operation particularly in the production and volume of barrels supplied just as it is in developed countries. Finally therefore, it was recommended that the monopoly of PPMC should be diffused with many private pipeline operators so that their ulterior motive will no longer have effect on the supply of petroleum products.