Biodiesel is produced by a chemical reaction known as transesterification in which a triglyceride
reacts with a primary alcohol to give an alkyl ester Biodiesel and a byproduct Glycerol. The
reaction is said to proceed to completion only when the primary alcohol is in excess, but there has
not been any Mathematical Model to support the claim. The problem statement as formulated and
analyzed in this paper justifies the need to use excess primary alcohol for the reaction.

Transient flow of gas and gas-condensate in wells is a problem of industrial interest. Studies
abound in the use of pressure transient models in the analysis of hydrate formation, growth and
deposition in these wells but no study in the use of thermal transient model in the evaluation of
these crystalline solids in gas and gas-condensate in wells. Partial and/or complete well
blockages stem out from the deposition of hydrates and other solids, but hydrate deposition
happens to be the one having the most significant effect in the blockage of these wells leading to
reducing flow capacity or total loss in productivity.
This work therefore aimed at developing and using thermal transient analytical model to locate
hydrates growth and deposition in vertical wells. To accurately do this, the conservation of
material, momentum and energy conservation which were the governing equations was applied
to solve the transient flow of gas and gas-condensate in pipelines with respect to their diameter.
The application of these conservation equations resulted into nonlinear hyperbolic equations,
which were arranged in a canonical form and solved analytically using method of characteristics.
Developed model revealed that hydrate formation or growth and deposition in these fluids well is
a function of fluid and solid mechanics, changes in fluid and surrounding conditions, fluid
composition and flow rate variation. Solutions of the resulting equations include consideration
of flow rate, shear stress and compressibility factor to hydrate growth along pipeline. The results
were compared with the field and literature data and a sensitivity analysis was carried out to
determine the effects of these varied parameters in the formation, growth and deposition of
hydrates in gas and gas-condensate wells.

A method for producing Bio-diesel (fatty acid alkyl ester), from vegetable oils of non-edible seeds
or used cooking oil with a homogeneous catalyst, preferably an alkali, dissolved in a primary
alcohol to form a liquid-liquid mixture, is herewith presented. The liquid-liquid mixture is pumped
through a static mixer, for preliminary agitation and reaction into the main stirred-tank reactor
where the triglycerides are converted / transesterified into fatty acid alkyl ester, the Bio-diesel.
The method also provides for further turbulent agitation in a centrifugal contactor separator to
ensure maximum conversion of the reactants to products and facilitate the separation of the biodiesel
from the by-product glycerol. The transesterification is conducted at atmospheric pressure and a temperature
slightly below the boiling point of the primary alcohol which is recovered from the products through flash
evaporation. A Solar Photo-Voltaic Assisted Bio-diesel Plant, designed for sequential modular operation, with a high potential for replication as a model for dissemination and transfer of Bio-diesel production technology in Nigeria, has been developed, constructed, and tested. The Performance Characteristics of the Pilot Plant, with special reference to the Static Mixer and Centrifugal Contactor Separator incorporated in the design show that a
reasonable Bio-diesel yield of 86.8% to 96% can be achieved in 4 to 5 minutes after the reaction.

This study presents for the first-time field, petrographic and geochemical evidence of oil
residue in exhumed fractured Precambrian basement rocks of the Northern Benue Trough. The
studied oil residues which are brittle solids, are believed to have been emplaced into fractures
of the basement rocks as conventional light oils, but have been degraded. Pyrite crystals are
closely associated with the fractured basement reservoir. These pyrite crystals are inferred to
have a biogenic origin attributed to microbial activity as part of the biodegradation processes.
Total ion current (TIC) fragmentogram of the saturate fractions of the studied oil residue shows
progressive depletion of chromatographically resolved hydrocarbons relative to the unresolved hydrocarbon mixture, forming an unresolved complex mixture (UCM) hump consistent with oils that have undergone biodegradation. Pristane (Pr) and Phytane (Ph) are present on the m/z 85 fragmentogram in abundance lower than those of the adjacent n-alkanes, resulting in Pr/nC17, Ph/nC18 and Pr/Ph ratios < 1.0, suggesting suboxic to anoxic
depositional environment for the source of the oil. Sterane maturity parameters, ααα C27 20S/(20S+20R), ααα C
2820S/(20S+20R), and ααα C2920S/(20S+20R), are 0.50, 0.47, and 0.35, respectively, for the studied oil residue, consistent with oils derived from source rocks that have thermal maturities equivalent to early and peak oil generation. The trisnorhopane thermal indicators (Ts:Tm ratio) of 1.08, and 22S/(22R+22S) C32
homohopane isomerization ratio of 0.61 agrees with the sterane maturity parameters of the oil residue which implies that the source rock for the oil residue is within the oil window. Sterane distribution for the oil residue shows strong resemblance to the strerane distribution of extracts of Bima Shales, implying that the oil was sourced from shales of the Bima Formation. The basement rocks occur below a regional plane of unconformity which is inferred to have acted as an important migration pathway for the oil residue. Occurrence of oil residue in fractures of the exhumed Precambrian basement rocks of the Northern Benue Trough implies that the fractured
Precambrian basement rocks are important petroleum reservoir rocks in the region.

Well-log and Repeat Formation Tester (RFT) data were used for the detection of overpressure in
X Field in the Niger Delta, using sonic, gamma ray, density and calliper logs and RFT data.
ROKDOC software was used for the analysis of these data. And the result compared with the
RFT log data. The result shows that the onset of overpressure was observed in Wells A and B
depth below 7700ft and in Well C at a depth below 7150ft respectively. The formation pressure
gradient ranges from 0.836 psi/ft to 0.934 psi/ft for Well A, from 0.830 psi/ft to 0.928 psi/ft for
Well B, and from 0.830 psi/ft to 0.967 psi/ft for Well C. Overpressures in the study area are as a
result of compaction disequilibrium and secondary mechanism. That is the point at which fluids
are no longer being expelled effectively due to low permeability as the rock attempts to compact.
The results of the present study would be useful in assessing seal effectiveness, mapping of
hydrocarbon migration pathways, trap configuration, basin geometry, basin modelling, and safe
and economic drilling.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of process variables during dilute acid pretreatment
and
enzymatic
saccharification
of
sorghum
stalk
for
cellulosic
ethanol
production.
The

sorghum stalk was pre-treated at different reaction temperature (160 – 220 ), dilute acid
concentration (1 – 3 %v/v), solid/liquid ratio (0.06 – 0.15 g/ml) and time (5 – 15 mins). This was
followed by fermentation to production and characterization of ethanol. Optimum conditions for
pretreatment were reaction temperature of 210 , acid concentration of 3 % v/v, solid/liquid
ratio of 0.1 g/ml and a reaction time of 10 mins. Maximum percentage reducing sugar at this
condition was 14 %. The result of ethanol characterization revealed that the ethanol production
meets the ASTM standard. Hence, sorghum stalk is a potential feedstock to produce bioethanol.

Reservoir waterflooding is one of the cheapest means of producing hydrocarbon from
underground formation to the surface. A properly formulated control and optimization strategy
will not only solve the process inevitable problems but will also lead the process to optimal
operation. Previous optimization studies are model-based, but reservoirs are highly complex,
and therefore cannot be described and predicted accurately using models. To counteract the
effects of reservoir model/system mismatch, feedback control was suggested to be included in
the optimization framework. In this work the principle of self-optimizing control (SOC) is used
to derive controlled variable (CV) based on synthetic data. We have previously implemented
this methodology on a very small reservoir. The present work extends the implementation to a
realistically sized reservoir. In the methodology, the CV is formulated via a single regression
step in which a measurement function is used to approximate the gradient of the objective
function with respect to control. The developed CV is firstly implemented on a nominal model
and then to various uncertain cases. The performance of the method is compared to that of
open-loop solution technique, OC (based on optimal control theory) and then to a benchmark
case. The developed CV is found to be robust in the presence of uncertainties. In one of the
cases considered, the SOC method is found to be better than OC solution procedure by about
24.03%.

This paper presents an insight into over two decades of impactful educational intervention and other Oil and Gas related programmes of PTDF that have enhanced capacity building for the petroleum industry; the strong collaboration network between the PTDF and the Institute of Petroleum Studies, University of Port Harcourt, (IPS) and the resulting impacts capable of militating recession when fully deployed and given the commensurate political will for national development. Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) and achievements of PTDF and the outcome of its implication on education and recession are highlighted. Critical challenges to programme and project implementation strategies and possible prospects are equally discussed. Expansion and commercialization strategies as new frontiers of the Fund is highlighted. The paper is useful for planning, research and good decision making for both the petroleum industry and the educational sector.