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Nigeria, via the use of Hydrocarbon Reforming technologies, can create a unique link between its existing & planned petroleum projects and Hydrogen production; Clean Hydrogen will be produced from Petroleum fields, water resulting from hydrogen combustion could also be produced for host communities and climate change will be mitigated. This interdisciplinary paper identifies technologies that could be used to produce hydrogen from petroleum fields / refineries, facilitating cleaner energy generation. A one-stop document that could facilitate collaborative hydrogen-petroleum investments, translating into the reduction of carbon emissions and energy poverty. A comparative analysis between technologies is carried out, insinuating solutions that could be quickly deployed. The document narrates the logical journey of energy to hydrogen. There has been no societal development without energy. The manufacturing industries, health sector, employment etc. are all dependent on energy utilisation. Multiple literature has directly linked a nation's standard of living to the availability of energy; thus, nations are always focused on increasing energy utilisation. The utilisation of hydrocarbons (petroleum, coal etc.) has been the driving force for different nations and epochs (industrial revolution, digital revolution etc). Currently, a novel mentality is gaining massive traction; the energy source being utilised should have minimal effects on the environment, irrelevant of its energy density. Strong scientific evidence exists pointing to hydrocarbons as the major cause of climate change. Therefore, efforts are constantly exerted in transitioning to cleaner energy sources. Albeit climate change and its devastating effects, Nigeria and some other nations also face the unique battle of fighting energy poverty. It is important to note that countries that currently consume the most energy (China, Japan, US etc.) are still developing projects associated with hydrocarbons, although also exerting efforts towards cleaner energy sources. Nigeria needs energy solutions that take into cognisance its political environment, high degree of energy poverty and obviously, climate change. The Nigerian government has initiated a drive aimed at developing gas and petroleum refining infrastructure over the years; Hydrogen generation could be inculcated into these policies, thus mitigating climate change, yet also increasing energy availability. Subsequent to the extraction and processing of hydrocarbons, it is then refined or reformed into a variety of products such as gasoline, diesel etc. These are then burnt in engines, producing energy and undesirable emissions responsible for climate change. Whilst hydrogen could be utilized in cars, without producing undersirable emissions. Hydrogen could be fuel that changes the dynamics of the petroleum sector, via a collaborative approach. |
