Agha Ibiam
1 January 2009
opinion
Lagos — Most countries today have imbibed the use of modern technology and equipment to construct oil and water pipelines, sewages, laying of telecommunication cables, and most underground projects. But in Nigeria, the use of out-dated methods are still the order of the day, writes Agha Ibiam
It still beats the imagination of many Nigerians how oil pipelines were laid all the way to the Northern part of the country from the South. The amount of money spent to import pipes, excavation and laying of pipes, maintenance and provision of security, observers say must have gone into billions of naira.
But the troubling aspect of the network of pipelines criss-crossing the nook and cranny of the country to many people is the danger they pose to lives and property, especially when there is any slightest leakage of the oil pipelines. Observers also note that oil, which ordinarily should be a blessing, has turned out to be a 'curse' to a nation that is rated the seventh world producer.
Without any end in sight to vandalisation and threats to oil pipelines, observers say it is high time the oil pipelines be changed to most modern high density polyethylene pipes that are capable to absorb any kind of pressure even in an attempt to destroy them. They further argued that after decades of laying the oil pipelines, government should have considered it expedient to build modern rail tracks or alternative means of conveying oil products in case there is any attack on the pipelines as always experienced in recent past. They strongly believe that the introduction of the rail transport would have helped to ease off major problems encountered today by either vandals or Niger Delta militants.
But the irony of the whole thing is that the same government that was threatening fire and brimstone against the militants is even considering employing their services in its determination to check the constant vandalisation of oil pipelines.
"Government will engage the militants to police oil pipelines but they must first form themselves into limited liability companies. This will check even the activities of oil companies who cleverly engage in oil bunkering," the Federal Government said.
Vandalisation of oil pipelines due to the nature of equipment used, have caused the country untold problems. In Ijegun, a suburb of Lagos, a pipeline explosion occurred after a bulldozer accidentally struck it. Nearby residents attempted to steal the fuel from the broken pipeline, moments later the explosion occurred. People lost their lives and properties worth thousands of naira were destroyed. This is just one in many cases of vandalisation of oil pipelines in the country.
To forestall future occurrences, a lot of people and organisations have seriously shown concern on how to check incessant vandalisation of pipelines in the country. The former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Kofi Annan, at a recent forum pledged the world body's assistance to Nigeria to check further vandalisation of pipelines and in other West African nations. The former UN scribe expressed concern over most tragic incident and called for a review of Nigeria's fuel supply management to reduce risks that could lead to other environmental or technological disasters in West Africa.
He said "the United Nations stands ready to assist in this endeavour, and to help in assessing current gaps in risk mapping and disaster response in the region." Another organisation which has seriously added its voice to solving the incessant problems of vandalising oil pipelines ones and for all is DAG & K Nigeria Limited, a company that engage in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering works, based in Lagos.
The organisation said, in conjunction with Interplast Limited, producers of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipes and fittings, they would be able to supply and fix oil pipelines across the country that will stand the test of time and attack. Though this proposal the organisation said is being packaged and will soon be presented to the federal government this year in capable to halt vandalisation of pipelines.
The application of HDPE piping systems varies. At a press briefing in Lagos recently, DAG & K Limited noted that the pipes which are of various sizes could be used for oil and gas, water, drainage, sewage and the telecommunication. Mr. Olusegun Abimbola and Mr. Tayo Aroloye, managing director and director of DAG & K respectively, at the meeting stated that it is a waste of nation's resources to use metals, which has the tendency to rust to convey a highly combustible material like fuel. They argued that in most part of the world, including the neighbouring Ghana, the use of HDPE is now the order of the day because of its economic and social values.
"In consultation with the Ghana Water and Sewage Corporation to provide high quality unplasticised polyvincy chloride pipes, manufactured to internationally recognised standards. The company has since produced and supplied the majority of Ghana's requirement of small and large diameter PVC pipes for the supply of water throughout the country," Aroloye said.
He said if the country's oil pipelines were laid with HDPE, the issue of whether militants or vandals tampering with it will not be there, because the product has quality to resist external forces order than the instrument used to mount them. Though he's not an engineer by profession, Aroloye, who has an IT background explained that HDPE is the most chemically inert of all commodity plastic raw materials and is therefore extremely chemical and corrosion resistant. Also, it has long-term strength advantage over concrete and metal pipes.
Quoting Interplast as partner, Aroloye said, "Polyethylene pipes have demonstrated, through testing and actual usage that they meet and even exceed life service requirements for both pressure and drainage applications. A service life of 70+ years is projected where HDPE is specified. Engineers all over the world have specified HDPE pipes in chemical acidic or alkaline site conditions."
During the briefing, Abimbola revealed that the Ogun State Government has started to imbibe the use of HDPE pipes for its water projects in Abeokuta, the state capital. On completion of that project, which will serve as first phase, the state government would then see the possibility of using the same technology to replace most of the existing water pipes in the state.
"The contract was signed in August and procurement of the pipes was from Ghana, and the special fittings of the pipes with a France company has equally commenced. These items are usually not on-the-shelf items, so they had to be produced on order. The delivery of material to the stores started by mid September and the site was fully possessed by first week in October," he said.
The organisation suggested that should the Federal Government and oil companies accept to use polyethylene pipe system to convey fuel to the northern part of the country, a lot of advantages will be accrued to it. They revealed that it will save cost with faster installation, maintenance free design life and in contrast to ductile iron with lining, steel or cast iron pipes, HDPE pipes are corrosion resistant and do not require any corrosion protection during their life time.
Whereas, they said that cement and bitumen lining of ductile iron steel pipes have the tendency to peel off thereby rendering the pipe unprotected against corrosion, HDPE pipes do not rust or lose wall thickness as a result of chemical or electrical reaction within surrounding soil.
Another important point they raised was that the use of HDPE is flexible and which allows the pipes to withstand any ground movements that may put undue stress on the pipes; and with it pipe weight comparatively less than ductile iron pipes of the same ID and pressure rating.
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