Process Intensification Drives Petrochemical and Gas Efficiency

The Case for Process Intensification in Nigeria’s Energy Sector

Femi Olorunnaiye, a Senior Process Engineer at Fluor Corporation in Houston, Texas, has emphasized the urgent need for Nigeria to adopt process intensification in its petrochemical and gas processing industries. With over a decade of experience in energy, petrochemicals, and manufacturing sectors across the globe, Olorunnaiye believes that this technology is no longer just a futuristic concept but a critical step toward improving efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability.

“Process intensification is not an option to debate; it is the way forward if we are serious about efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainability,” Olorunnaiye stated. He highlighted the importance of achieving more output with less energy, reduced emissions, and improved reliability. “This means less energy, less footprint, less emissions, while delivering more output, more safety, and more reliability.”

Olorunnaiye pointed out that traditional methods, which were acceptable in the past when fuel was cheap and emissions were not a major concern, are now inefficient, costly, and environmentally harmful. He cited a refinery distillation section in the Niger Delta that was operating nearly 35% above its intended energy use. Factors such as multiple flash drums, long reboiler piping, and sluggish control systems contributed to wasted energy and instability.

“When a tower takes hours to stabilize, when the reboiler heat duty runs below target, and when control loops are slow, the plant bleeds money and increases its exposure to safety incidents,” he explained. According to Olorunnaiye, process intensification involves collapsing separate steps into one, redesigning equipment to achieve higher transfer rates, and using compact, modular systems to deliver the same function at a smaller scale and lower energy consumption.

Global Examples of Process Intensification

Olorunnaiye shared several proven examples from around the world. These include reactive distillation, where chemical reactions and separation occur in a single column; dividing wall distillation, which replaces two or three towers with one; membrane separations that substitute energy-hungry distillation processes; and micro-channel reactors that offer rapid conversion with minimal inventory.

“In these cases, instead of sending products from a reactor into a separate distillation tower, you let the reaction and separation happen together. This results in lower capital costs, tighter heat integration, and fewer chances of leaks or failures. It is safer, leaner, and more efficient,” he said.

However, Olorunnaiye warned that process intensification cannot succeed without corresponding improvements in instrumentation and controls. Because operations are more tightly coupled, disturbances can propagate faster, leaving little room for error.

He recounted a gas processing site where modular intensified reactors had been installed, but outdated pressure and temperature transmitters were recalibrated infrequently. This led to unstable operation and repeated trips. “The lesson is clear. Intensification demands sharper eyes and faster reflexes. Instrumentation is the nervous system of the plant. If it lags, the whole system suffers,” he said.

The Importance of Modern Instrumentation

Olorunnaiye stressed that this is especially critical as Nigeria strives to meet its goal of ending routine gas flaring by 2030. Modern instrumentation and control systems are essential to ensure that the benefits of process intensification are fully realized.

Key Takeaways

• Efficiency and Sustainability: Process intensification offers a pathway to reduce energy use, lower emissions, and increase operational efficiency.
• Global Success Stories: Techniques like reactive distillation and membrane separations have already demonstrated their effectiveness in various industries.
• Critical Role of Controls: Advanced instrumentation and control systems are vital to support the implementation of process intensification technologies.
• Environmental and Safety Benefits: By reducing waste and improving stability, these technologies contribute to safer and more sustainable operations.

As Nigeria continues to develop its energy infrastructure, embracing process intensification could play a pivotal role in achieving long-term economic and environmental goals.