Alfa - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Ismail Abdulaziz
May, Tue, 2025

Alfa Designs secures NMDPRA’s approval to convert diesel engines to CNG

206 total views today

By Emmanuella Anokam

Alfa Designs Nigeria Limited, a leading oil and gas company, says it has secured approval to begin conversion of diesel-powered engines to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in the country.

The company said the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) had done the Proof of Concept (POC) on its conversion kits and granted a five-year licence to deploy the kits.

Mr Quadri Fatai, Group Managing Director, Alfa Designs Nigeria Limited, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

Fatai said that the conversion would enable all diesel-powered, trucks, vehicles, engines, generators and draggers to be converted to a dual fuel-powered system.

According to the chief executive officer, the dual fuel powered system will be used interchangeably, because the conversion is not 100 per cent CNG.

Fatai disclosed that the conversion kits had a device, called Telematrix that would be installed alongside the components of the conversion kits, which could assist in automatic tracking of converted vehicles or engines.

“So, basically we already have the kits after following up all the necessary protocols to get the kits approved by the regulator.

“And then the kits also have a very fantastic device called Telematrix to be installed alongside the kits.

“The Telematrix actually enables one to assess the condition of the engine, equipment or vehicle and also to be able to track their location via online.’’

He said the device could help an engine user in terms of maintenance, and could also help the Federal Government in tracking tankers while supplying and distributing petroleum products.

“Instead of having too many securities on the way, trying to track the tankers that are meant to supply products, installing kits with the Telematrix will guarantee security and bring down high logistics cost.

“After conversion, the Telematrix reveals the real-time amount of diesel of which an engine is consuming and the amount of gas it is actually consuming.

“And if anyone tampers with the device, it will also reflect that it has been tampered with.’’

Fatai said the dual conversion ratio in terms of 30 per cent diesel and 70 per cent CNG would definitely bring down the cost of logistics.

“The advantage is that it will bring down the volume of the diesel and assists the engine to have a complete combustion, because while burning only diesel, there is possibility that the engine’s condition might not have a complete combustion.

“Most of the diesel engines produce carbon soot, a thick smoke, which is a sign that the engines are having incomplete combustion, causing a whole lot of pollution.’’

He said that the company was also partnering with one of the biggest CNG-powered generator manufacturing company in China to deploy generators for its facilities.

Speaking on the cost of the conversion, he said the price would only be ascertained after evaluating the vehicle or engine because factors such as the size and condition of the engines would be put into consideration.

“The conversion price will be based on the capacity and specification of the engine that is being converted.

“But the savings you are going to make by installing the kits on your system and operating it at long duration will have a repay back in less than three months because CNG is costs effective,’’ he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Emissions: Expert advocates winding down of diesel-powered engines

Ismail Abdulaziz
May, Tue, 2025

General News

Emissions: Expert advocates winding down of diesel-powered engines

226 total views today

By Emmanuella Anokam

An Energy Expert, Mr Quadri Fatai has advocated winding down of diesel-powered engines in the country in reducing Green House Gas (GHG) and fugitive methane emissions by 60 per cent.

Fatai, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Alfa Design Nigeria Limited gave the advice on Monday, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Abuja.

He noted that converting diesel-powered engines to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or transiting to alternative cleaner/greener energy and technology would stop carbon soot being emitted by diesel engines and guarantee energy security.

He said that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) guidelines on GHG emissions were aimed at reducing environmental and social impact, caused by the emissions of components of natural gas including methane and other compounds.

The expert explained that embracing cleaner technology would help to mitigate carbon output, especially carbon soot being emitted by a fuel engine, contributing majorly to environmental pollution and health hazards.

”As it is now, we are supposed to be winding down on all diesel-powered engines in the country based on the GHG emissions statement.

”Nigerian government had already pledged that by 2030 we are going to cut down our methane emissions, and we are going to stop flaring completely and also do away with carbon soot formation, a bye-product from diesel-fired engines.

”We have to do away with all these things because they normally absorb infrared radiation that comes from the outer space. Once they absorb it, they keep the earth warmer than what is anticipated.

”And that’s the effect on the climate change,’’ he said.

Fatai also explained that in view of high cost of diesel and the abundance of an alternative energy (gas) in the country, there was need to be economically wise and encourage usage of CNG.

”But staring us in our face is a solution of an alternative that all of us are supposed to come out and really agitate to see how this can be implemented as soon as possible to reduce impact, ” he said.

He added that in the bid to promote cleaner and affordable energy in the country, the Alfa design limited, a leading oil and gas company would soon begin conversion of diesel-powered engines to CNG in the country.

NAN recalls that Nigeria signed on to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in Sept. 2016; and consequently, began the implementation of many ambitious initiatives aimed at reducing emissions from all sectors of the economy.

As part of Nigeria’s commitment on the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement, in 2021, it committed to reducing GHG emissions by 47 per cent in 2030, conditional on international support.

The pledge followed the signing into law of the country’s first climate bill after the UN Climate Change Conference of Parties 26, in Glasgow in 2021, having set an ambitious global net zero targets by 2060.

To achieve Nigeria’s emission reduction targets of the NDCs, the key abatement measures are; elimination of routine gas flaring (100 per cent gas flaring eliminated by 2030) and fugitive emissions/leakages control (60 per cent Methane Reduction by 2030).

These measures were established under the NUPRC operators’ guidelines on the actions and mechanisms for the management of fugitive methane/GHG emissions from the upstream oil and gas operations. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deborah Coker

Alfa Designs to deploy CNG cascades to spur availability

Ismail Abdulaziz
May, Tue, 2025

Economy/Business

Alfa Designs to deploy CNG cascades to spur availability

181 total views today

By Emmanuella Anokam
Alfa Designs Nigeria Ltd., a leading oil and gas company, says it is set to deploy Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cascade to proximity areas to spur its availability in the country.

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Quadri Fatai, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

CNG cascade is a system of interconnected, high-pressure gas cylinders used for storing and transporting CNG.

It is essentially a series of cylinders arranged in a way that allows for efficient storage and dispensing of CNG.

NAN reports that motorists have raised concern and complained bitterly about the unavailability of CNG and constant queues at refilling stations in the country.

Speaking with NAN, Fatai said the company was working out modalities to ensure that issues responsible for CNG unavailability were adequately addressed, adding that the proximity of having CNG around should be considered.

The expert said it had procured the first batch of 10 CNG cascades, which would be deployed soon after certification.

He said it was currently engaging the Standards Organisation of Nigeria third party inspection company for inspection, certification and licence issuance for the cylinders.

In order to ease distribution to different areas of proximity, he said it would also deploy a 100 per cent CNG-powered truck with a self-loader for distribution/dispensation of CNG.

“We are deploying about 450kg capacity CNG cascade (a storage facility) at designated places, which will allow CNG to be filled and stored in it with total weight at three tonnes.

“We are also coming with 100 per cent CNG-powered truck vehicle with self loader for distribution and dispensation.

“The idea is for the cascade to be filled and deployed at various fuel refilling partners’ outlets, where motorists can access to refill their vehicles.

“Once the inspection and certification of the cylinders are completed, the next thing is to ship them to Nigeria and do clearing,’’ he added.

He described logistics and limited infrastructure as the major factors behind unavailability of CNG, adding that the logistics involved in handling CNG projects are quite a lot.

“In order for you to understand the fundamental principle of these factors, I will need to quickly make a simple narrative between Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and the CNG.

“It is easier to deploy LPG than to deploy CNG, because the LPG operates at almost 35 bar pressure, while CNG is operating between 200 to 300 bar.

“The pressure is the function of the thickness or weight of the material. So, what it means is that the LPG cylinder will always be lighter in weight compared to the weight of the CNG cylinder,” he said.

The expert said that the company was coming up with a lot of package and initiatives to ease or solve the logistic issues to enable availability of CNG in the country.

He said to ease CNG deployment across the country, necessary logistics should be provided to handle the weight of the CNG and bring it in a compatible shape.

He further underscored the need to encourage companies that would like to build mother station infrastructure, to gradually extend the pipeline network of gas distribution.

He said concern had been raised on the safety, economic benefits and global regulations and compliance of CNG conversion, including factors bothering its logistics and usage.

According to him, to foster safety, the Nigeria Institute of Standards and SON are supposed to be checking continuously the integrity of the LPG and CNG cylinders.

He decried the fact that because of the price associated with CNG kits and cylinders, quacks are already locally fabricating the cylinders, toying with explosive things.

“The destructive power of a four bar gas cylinder is almost equivalent to one grenade (an explosive military weapon),’’ he warned.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma