- The Nigerian government aims to eliminate routine flaring in the future.
- Fluenta, a pioneer in ultrasound sensing technology, has installed 18 ultrasonic flare gas meters at Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest oil refinery.
- Accurate flare gas measurement is essential for regulatory compliance and emissions monitoring.
The Nigerian government is taking proactive steps to control and regulate the flaring of gas, with the ultimate goal of eliminating routine flaring in the coming years. Central to this ambitious effort is the need for precise and reliable measurement.
Fluenta, a global leader in ultrasonic sensing technology for flare gas measurement, has successfully completed a significant project at the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria, which happens to be Africa’s largest oil refinery.
This remarkable undertaking involved the installation of 18 ultrasonic flare gas meters on large pipelines throughout the plant.
The Dangote Refinery represents a milestone in Africa’s journey toward energy self-sufficiency. Nigeria, despite being the largest oil producer on the continent, currently imports refined petroleum products for domestic consumption.
Flare gas regulation in Nigeria
The Dangote Refinery, which commenced operations in May 2023, boasts an impressive capacity to refine 650,000 barrels of oil per day, meeting Nigeria’s daily fuel demands while generating a daily surplus of 38 million liters of refined products earmarked for export.
Nigeria is positioning itself as a global leader in emissions reduction, and flaring, the controlled burning of excess or waste gases in the petroleum industry, is a crucial safety and environmental practice to prevent the release of potentially harmful or combustible gases into the atmosphere.
Accurate flare gas regulation and measurement is essential for compliance and environmental law adherence, as well as for precise emissions monitoring.
The collaboration between Fluenta and its exclusive Nigerian representative, Daptem Engineering, along with the Dangote project team, spanned more than four months. The primary objective was to deliver a practical, precise, and reliable solution for flare gas measurement.
While customizations are common in such installations, this project presented unique engineering challenges due to the wide variety of pipeline sizes, ranging from 18″ to 90″ diameters.
Larger pipelines can complicate accurate measurement, as the acoustic pulse has an extended travel distance, potentially leading to less precise readings.
Companies to pay ‘tax’ for flared gas
Additionally, the flared gas expelled through these pipelines contains high levels of CO2, a gas that can be challenging to measure using ultrasonic technology.
The team successfully implemented a range of innovative, tailored solutions, meticulously considered on a case-by-case basis, to ensure the system’s accuracy.
In accordance with current Nigerian regulations, companies involved in oil and gas refining must pay a ‘tax’ for flared gas, encouraging an overall reduction in flaring. This underscores the critical importance of Fluenta’s reliable and trustworthy flare measurement and management systems.
Radek Kurkowski, Director at Fluenta, noted, “Flare gas measurement and control is vital to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and to help identify potential safety hazards. This is especially true at a plant of this unprecedented scale, featuring the world’s largest flare pipe.”
Fluenta’s remarkable work exemplifies the power of innovation, collaborative teamwork, and a commitment to meeting client needs. The company takes great pride in contributing to Nigeria’s domestic energy supply security and the broader African region.
Fluenta brings extensive experience in Africa, having previously collaborated with an International Oil Company (IOC) operating in Nigeria. In response to the IOC’s specific requirements, Fluenta developed customized solutions, installed in 2019, and subsequently received orders for an additional 32 Fluenta flare measurement meters.
Tracking methane emissions from flaring
Fluenta has earned preferred supplier status, with all flare gas flowmeters on the IOC’s assets either replaced or in the replacement process with Fluenta’s advanced solution.
Further highlighting its commitment to the industry, Fluenta will address combustion efficiency challenges and industry strategies for tracking methane emissions from flaring at the Nigeria Hydrocarbon Measurement Conference (NiHMEC), scheduled for October 4-5 in Lagos, Nigeria.
