Nigeria’s oil and gas sector must urgently adopt process intensification Nigeria as a core strategy to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving global energy landscape, according to Femi Olorunnaiye, Senior Process Engineer at Fluor Corporation in Houston, Texas. With over a decade of experience across international energy, petrochemical, and manufacturing operations, Olorunnaiye emphasized that outdated plant designs and energy-intensive processes are no longer sustainable, especially as the country works toward its 2030 target of ending routine gas flaring.
Speaking in a technical statement shared with stakeholders in Lagos, Olorunnaiye described process intensification not as a futuristic concept but as an immediate necessity for Nigerian refineries, gas processing plants, and chemical facilities. He stressed that the approach—aimed at achieving more output with less energy, smaller footprint, and lower emissions—is already transforming industrial operations worldwide. In Nigeria, where infrastructure inefficiencies are widespread, the need for such innovation is particularly acute.
He cited a recent review of a distillation unit in a Niger Delta refinery that was operating at nearly 35 percent above its intended energy consumption. Multiple flash drums, elongated reboiler piping, and sluggish control systems contributed to persistent instability and wasted resources. These inefficiencies, he explained, do not occur in isolation—they compound one another, increasing operational costs, reducing reliability, and heightening the risk of safety incidents.
Process intensification offers a proven solution by integrating traditionally separate unit operations into compact, high-efficiency systems. Technologies such as reactive distillation, where chemical reaction and separation occur in a single column, have demonstrated significant reductions in capital and energy costs abroad. Similarly, dividing wall columns can replace two or three conventional towers with one, cutting energy use by up to 30 percent. Membrane-based separations are increasingly substituting energy-hungry distillation processes, while micro-channel reactors enable rapid, controlled chemical conversion with minimal reactant inventory—enhancing both safety and efficiency.
Despite these advantages, Olorunnaiye warned that simply installing advanced equipment is not enough. Success depends on parallel upgrades in instrumentation, automation, and workforce capability. Intensified processes operate under tighter margins and respond faster to disturbances, requiring precise sensors, real-time data, and responsive control systems. He recalled a gas processing site where modular intensified reactors were installed but continued to experience instability due to outdated pressure and temperature transmitters that were infrequently calibrated. The mismatch between modern hardware and legacy controls led to repeated shutdowns and lost productivity.
The lesson, he said, is clear: instrumentation is the nervous system of any industrial facility. If it lags, even the most advanced process design will underperform. This reality underscores the importance of holistic modernization—not just in hardware, but in digital infrastructure and human expertise.
As Nigeria seeks to monetize associated gas, expand domestic petrochemical production, and attract foreign investment, adopting process intensification Nigeria could play a pivotal role in building smaller, modular, and highly efficient processing units—particularly in remote or offshore locations. It also aligns with broader national goals of industrial competitiveness, environmental responsibility, and energy transition.
Olorunnaiye concluded that Nigeria already has the natural resources and technical talent to lead in this space. What is needed now is the strategic will to move beyond incremental improvements and embrace transformative engineering practices. Without such a shift, he cautioned, the country risks falling behind in an era defined by efficiency, sustainability, and innovation.
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