Research Articles in Petroleum & Gas
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Item Evaluation of the Potential of Calcium Hydroxide Synthesized from Eggshells as a Drilling Fluid Additive(Petroleum and Coal, 2020-01-09) Abdullahi Gimba; Shalom Onome Amakhabi; Oghenerume Ogolo; Oluwaseun Alonge; Nzerem Petrus; Ikechukwu Okafor; David AfolayanThis research work studied the suitability of Ca(OH)2 synthesized from eggshell as a drilling fluid additive. Ca(OH)2 was synthesized from calcined eggshells (CES) and uncalcined eggshells (UCES) and characterized using FTIR and EDX. Samples of one laboratory barrel of water-based mud were prepared using bentonite clay from Afuze, Edo State, Nigeria, and the synthesized Ca(OH)2 produced from CES and UCES and commercial Ca(OH)2 were added to different mud samples prepared, and its effect on the mud properties were tested for. The results obtained from the experiment conducted showed that the synthesized Ca(OH)2 gave comparable pH values as the commercial Ca(OH)2. Hence it served primarily as a pH enhancer. However, the addition of Ca(OH)2 from both sources increased the filtrate volume and mud cake thickness far beyond API standard which might create wellbore problems due to the high filtrate loss and mud cake thickness that were observed.Item Assessing the Impact of Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract Ammendments on the Economics of Deep Offshore E&P Assets in Nigeria(Society of Petroleum Engineers, 2020-08-04) Oghenerume Ogolo; Omowumi Iledare; Petrus Nzerem; Ikechukwu Okafor ; Emeka Iloegbunam; Isaac P. EkeomaNigeria recently amended the Deep Offshore and Inland Basins Act. The Act seeks to generate aditional annual revenue of over $1 billion for the government. The 2019 Law seems attractive to the government in the short run in terms of early rent extraction; on one hand, the seeminglly attractiveness of the fiscal terms in the Ammended Act, which is to expand output from investment in Nigeria deep offshore in the country is conjectural. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of the amendments to the PSC Act on value creation and addition to stake holders using systems and economic metrics that include investment earning power and discounted government take. A designed petroleum economic modeling framework applied to the fiscal terms in the new Act show a significant decrease in value addition to contractor portfolio of assets by about 25% but increases government discounted take statistics from 63.70% to 72.64% in comparison to the fiscal and contract terms in PSC 1993. The IRR and FLI obtained using the terms in the new Act were 23.66% and 0.043, respectively.Item Production of Biodiesel from Waste Cooking Oil by Transesterification Process using Heterogeneous Catalyst(NIJEST, 2021-12-07) Ayuba Salihu; Mahmood A. A.; Gimba S. B.; Petrus Nzerem; Ikechukwu OkaforNon-renewable diesel from fossil has been considered as potentially carcinogenic with serious harmful effect to human health and to the environment. This study aimed to produce a renewable diesel –biodiesel- via transesterification of waste cooking oil (WCO), investigated and determined the most suitable amongst various types of heterogenous catalysts (viz a viz KOH/CaCO3, KOH/CaO and KOH/K2CO3). The chemical and physical characterisation of the biodiesel was been carried out. Among the catalysts investigated, KOH/CaCO3 catalyst showed the best catalytic performance in terms of % yield and better fuel quality in density, acid value, viscosity and free fatty acid. The reason for this performance may be due to its most basic characteristic than the others. As a result, this catalyst was selected for the optimisation study. At the optimum reaction conditions of 10 wt% catalyst loading and 1:10 oil to methanol feed mole ratio, triglycerides conversion was highest, 98.12%. The characterisation results shows that the parameters tested (i.e. density, viscosity, acid value and free fatty acid) meet the strict requirements of the biodiesel standard and therefore, the produced fuel can be used in place of the petrol diesel.Item Comprehensive Characterization of Some Selected Biomass for Bioenergy Production(ACS Omega, 2023-11-08) Asmau M. Yahya; Adekunle Akanni Adeleke; Petrus Nzerem; Peter Pelumi Ikubanni; Salihu Ayuba; Hauwa A. Rasheed; Abdullahi Gimba; Ikechukwu Okafor; Jude A. Okolie; Prabhu ParamasivamThere is a lack of information about the detailed characterization of biomass of Nigerian origin. This study presents a comprehensive characterization of six biomass, groundnut shells, corncob, cashew leaves, Ixora coccinea (flame of the woods), sawdust, and lemongrass, to aid appropriate selection for bio-oil production. The proximate, ultimate, calorific value and compositional analyses were carried out following the American Standard for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray fluorescence were employed in this study for functional group analyses, thermal stability, and structural analyses. The H/C and O/C atomic ratios, fuel ratio, ignitability index, and combustibility index of the biomass samples were evaluated. Groundnut shells, cashew leaves, and lemongrass were identified as promising feedstocks for bio-oil production based on their calorific values (>20 MJ/kg). Sawdust exhibited favorable characteristics for bio-oil production as indicated by its higher volatile matter (79.28%), low ash content (1.53%), low moisture content (6.18%), and high fixed carbon content (13.01%). Also, all samples showed favorable ignition and flammability properties. The low nitrogen (<0.12%) and sulfur (<0.04%) contents in the samples make them environmentally benign fuels as a lower percentage of NOx and SOx will be released during the production of the bio-oil. These results are contributions to the advancement of a sustainable and efficient carbon-neutral energy mix, promoting biomass resource utilization for the generation of energy.Item Study of the Potential of Sodium Carbonate Extracted from Trona as a Drilling Fluid Additive(International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa, 2020-06-30) Petrus Nzerem; Enyo June Adejoh; Oghenerume Ogolo; Ikechukwu Okafor; Abdullahi Gimba; Ternenge Joseph Chior; Precious OgbeiwiDrilling additives play a unique role during drilling operations, from aiding in the control of various drilling challenges to successfully enhancing downhole drilling efficiency. pH enhancers are amongst the plethora of additives imported into Nigeria at exorbitant prices to aid in drilling operations. These additives includes NaOH, Na2CO3, Ca(OH)2 etc. These additives are used to improve the mud pH and mitigates drill string corrosion. The high cost of importation of these additives, has warranted the need for product substitution which should take advantage of the locally available resources. This paper evaluated the suitability of locally-sourced Trona, as a mud additive in drilling mud. Trona is known chemically as Sodium Sesquicarbonate or Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate. A distinguishing factor in this research work was the purification of Trona by extracting the compound of interest (Na2CO3) from it using the monohydrate process. The purification method involved crushing and screening of Trona as well as calcination, filtration and evaporation processes. The analysis of the Trona and the extracted product was performed using quantitative analysis and characterization tools such as FTIR and EDX. Further experimentation was carried out to evaluate the effects of the extracted sodium carbonate on the mud pH, rheology, and density of the water based mud. The results were also compared to the results gotten from the addition of conventional Na2CO to similar mud samples. The extracted Na2CO was observed to increase the pH of the mud samples from 8.73 to 9.52 and the commercial Na2CO increased it from 8.73 to 10 and this value is still in the range of API standard. The pH enhancers from both sources also had effect on the mud rheological properties. This indeed showed that the extracted Na2CO from Trona acted as drilling fluid pH enhancer and hence possess the potential for usage in the industry.Item Determination of the Optimal Blend Ratio of Hydrogen in Natural Gas System Using Physical Properties as Basis(ICMEAS, 2023-11-01) Ayuba Salihu ; Ikechukwu Okafor; Aniezi Okoro Daniel; Abdullahi Gimba ; Petrus NzeremThe Determination of the optimal blend ratio of hydrogen in natural gas systems using physical properties as a basis is an important research topic given the increasing use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. This research aims to determine the optimal blend ratio of hydrogen in a natural gas system using physical properties such as its Composition, Heating Value, Density, and Wobbe index as the basis of evaluation. Samples of consumer-grade Natural gas and clean Hydrogen gas were sourced in Nigeria. Both samples were used for blending and laboratory analysis. The blend volume ratios of Natural Gas (NG) and Hydrogen analyzed were 9:1, 8:2, 7:3, 6:4, & 5:5 using a Gasometer and Gas Chromatography Machine (CG). The experiment results provided valuable insights into the potential feasibility of replacing natural gas systems with a Hydrogen-Natural gas blend. The result obtained indicated about 2.06% reduction in percentage methane content, 26.35% reduction in gas density, 19.97% reduction in heating value (HHV), 5% reduction Wobbe index for every 10% increment of Hydrogen Ratio. This implies that blending carbon-neutral hydrogen gas into the natural gas systems for the purpose of decarbonization requires adequate compensation for expected changes in properties like heating value, flow dynamics, and process handling. The EUROMOT specification recommends that the percentage change in the wobbe index should be within the limit of +4% and -4% as an acceptable limit of interchangeability of fuel gas. Using the EUROMOT specification on Wobbe index, further numerical analysis affirmed that Natural Gas blended with as much as 25.74% Hydrogen can effectively be a substitute for fuel gas systems that are presently using Natural Gas.Item Simulation Study of the Effect of Various Water Alternating Gas Injection Schemes on Recovery in a Gas Condensate Reservoir(Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), 2023-07-30) Jakada K.; Abdullahi Gimba; Ikechukwu Okafor ; Petrus Nzerem; Abdulfatah H. K.; Oluogun M.The volatile characteristics of gas condensate reservoirs in the phase envelope makes its temperature and pressure conditions between the critical and cricondentherm points very sensitive to perhaps only rely on one source of reservoir energy enhancement and puts enormous technical constraints on quality decision making on effective reservoir management. Non adequate oil production simulation performance interpretation for high, base and low case scenarios based on critical high quality input data is definitely the technical missing link which severely hampers effective design, development, planning, optimization and prediction of gas condensate reservoir performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the recovery performance of a rapidly declining reservoir flow rates of a gas condensate reservoir through the water alternating gas (WAG) injection technique using the Schlumberger Eclipse simulator. Five different case scenarios were used which include cases of no-injection wells (which is the control case), gas injection, water injection, water alternating gas (for 7, 5, and 3-spot patterns) and flow rate alterations with a seven spot pattern-WAG technique. A total of 13 simulation runs were done with one control and 12 other runs with high, base and low cases. The sensitized water and gas injection rates used ranges from 12,000STB/day to 2,000STB/day and 12,000MSCF/day to 1,000MSCF/day. All results showed increase in oil flow rates with appreciable pressure response and subsequently, the viable option would be to consider in the short term water and gas injection before considering the more holistic WAG techniques in the long term. This is due to the current economic and technical constraints to boost the viability of the best choice of action. The results of these comprehensive simulation runs is a viable data bank needed for critical decision making for improved recovery from this rapidly declining condensate reservoir.Item Preparation and Characterization of Different Eco-Friendly Demulsifiers from Calabash Seed for Emulsion Management(Nigerian Journal of Technology, 2024-12-31) Ikechukwu Okafor; Adewumi, C. N.; Jakada K.; Petrus Nzerem; Abdullahi Gimba; Danbauchi S.The process of crude oil demulsification is still confronted with numerous challenges within the petroleum industry. Consequently, it is pertinent to develop innovative means or materials to accomplish the efficient separation of oil– water emulsions. In this work, three different Eco-friendly demulsifier: oil based, ethanol-based and Nano-based demulsifiers were prepared via a simple one-step hydrothermal route using Lagenaria siceraria (calabash) seed as raw materials. The eco-friendly demulsifiers were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Gas chromatographic-mass spectroscopic (GC-MS) and their chemical content and Physico-chemical properties compared with a commercial demulsifier (Phase treat). The results obtained showed that the seed have an oil content of 31%. The phytochemical screening of the extracted oil reveals the presence of most compounds found in chemical demulsifiers such as phenols, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, steroids, terpenoids etc. The FT-IR spectra of the chemical demulsifier was found to be similar to that of the oil and most of the functional groups present in the ethanol and oil bases demulsifiers whereas that of Nano-based was observed to differ. The GC MS analysis reveals the presence of both lipophilic and hydrophilic compound needed for demulsifiers preparation. In the bottle test analysis carried out to determine the efficacy of the eco-friendly demulsifiers, it was observed that the nano-based demulsifier performed better than the commercial demulsifier in the following trend: Nano-based > commercial > ethanol-based > oil-based. This current study not only encourage the effectual application of agricultural waste (Calabash seed) but also creates an understanding into the search of new demulsifying materials that would offer excellent performance. Finally, future investigations should focus on assessing the efficacy, stability, and potential industrial applications of these bio-demulsifiers and Nano-based demulsifiers.Item Application of Pressure Transient Analysis to Gas Material Balance for Multi Rate Production(Society of Petroleum Engineers, 2024-08-05) Ikechukwu Okafor; Ajibade A. A.; Jakada K.; Ternenge Joseph Chior; Abdullahi Gimba; Petrus NzeremA producing field's oil and gas reserves are continually estimated throughout its lifetime. As more data about the reservoir is obtained over time, the uncertainty regarding the actual amount of reserves decreases. Various methods have been employed to determine these reserves, including the Material Balance Technique. The classical method applies the conservation of mass, which has evolved over time. This study aims to further enhance the gas Material Balance Technique by incorporating equations derived from analytical pressure transient analysis with multiple rate production. By combining transient analysis solutions with the linear Material Balance method, this approach offers the advantage of determining the initial gas-in-place, permeability, and skin of a reservoir simultaneously, without relying on independent sources for prior knowledge of any of these parameters. To streamline the process and facilitate analytical deductions, this work also utilizes Python programming for automation. Ultimately, this study develops a series of steps that were applied to a case study, enabling the simultaneous determination of the reservoir's permeability, skin-factor, and initial gas.Item Influence of Local Additives on Water Based Drilling Mud: A Review(NJEAS, 2023-09-20) Petrus Nzerem; Khaleel Jakada; Mohammed Shariff; Abdulquddus Ozigi; Ayuba Salihu; Ikechukwu Okafor; Steve Adeshina; Khadijah Ibrahim; Adekunle Akanni AdelekeThis review paper focuses on the use of local additives in water-based drilling mud to reduce environmental impact and improve drilling operations. Drilling mud plays a crucial role in drilling operations by acting as a coolant, carrying drilled particles, stabilizing the wellbore, and preventing wellbore issues. However, poorly formulated drilling mud can lead to drilling difficulties and environmental pollution. Therefore, the exploration of organic-based drilling mud additives, sourced locally in Nigeria, is discussed in this paper.it highlights the potential of transforming organic waste materials, such as rice husk, cassava, corn cobs, and more, into usable products for drilling mud. By utilizing these locally sourced organic materials, the environmental impact of drilling waste can be minimized. The importance of waste management in the oil and gas industry is emphasized, as it is crucial for sustainable drilling practices. The paper further discusses various studies and experiments conducted on the use of local polymers and natural materials as substitutes for imported additives in water-based drilling mud. These materials include cassava starches, agro-waste materials, eco-friendly drilling fluid additives, and various plant-based substances. The performance and effectiveness of these materials are evaluated in terms of viscosity control and fluid loss prevention. The results indicate that many of these local polymers and natural materials can be viable and have shown positive results in terms of improving the rheological and filtration characteristics of the mud, reducing fluid loss, and enhancing overall mud qualities. Earlier studies on the use of agro-waste products as additives in drilling fluids are reviewed in this paper. These studies examine the properties affected by local materials, the type of mud used, and the findings of each study. The economic analysis of using agro-waste materials as drilling additives is also discussed. The conclusion highlights the availability and affordability of agricultural waste materials as potential substitutes for traditional drilling additives, which can help reduce drilling costs. The paper also provides recommendations for future research in this area.