Chapter One U16ce1121 Ogah Vincent

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA.
DESIGN OF UREA PLANT FROM NATURAL GAS SPUR LINE BRANCHING OFF
THE AJAOKUTA-KADUNA-KANO (AKK) NATURAL GAS PIPELINE
A FINAL-YEAR DESIGN PROJECT
BY
OGAH VINCENT
(U16CE1121)
FEBRUARY, 2024.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background Study
The AKK Pipeline Project in Nigeria aims to address energy shortages in the north by
transporting natural gas from Ajaokuta to Kano via Abuja, Niger, and Kaduna. The initiative
costs $2.592 billion, constructing a 614-kilometer pipeline network to enhance domestic gas
utilization, spur industrial growth, and foster economic development in the region (Adetunji,
2020).
Natural gas, primarily methane (CH4) with traces of ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8), butane
(C4H10), carbon dioxide (CO2), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), is extracted from underground
reservoirs. It serves vital functions in power generation, industrial processes, residential heating,
and transportation (International Energy Agency, 2020).
Urea (NH2CONH2), an essential ingredient in nitrogen-based fertilizers, is made by combining
ammonia and carbon dioxide. Both of these components can be obtained from natural gas. The
production process usually includes two main stages: first, making ammonia using the Haber-
Bosch method, and then reacting the produced ammonia with carbon dioxide to create urea in the
urea synthesis process (Sharma & Singh, 2021).
Urea fertilizer, with its high nitrogen content of around 46%, is essential for enhancing plant
growth, protein synthesis, and increasing crop yields across diverse soil types and climates. The
production process involves urea hydrolysis to convert urea into liquid ammonia, which is then
reacted with carbon dioxide under high pressure and temperature to form ammonium carbamate
—further heat and pressure yield urea and water. The resulting urea solution is concentrated,
dried, and granulated to produce the final urea fertilizer. This process underscores the
significance of urea in the production of nitrogen-based fertilizers, which are indispensable for
modern agriculture, contributing significantly to agricultural productivity and food security
(International Fertilizer Development Center, 2018).
Despite government efforts, fertilizer usage in Nigeria lags behind other African nations and the
global average. However, recent years have seen an uptick in consumption. Nigeria's fertilizer
usage per hectare was 19.7 kilograms in 2018, lower than Ghana's 29.4 kilograms and the sub-
Saharan Africa average of 33 kilograms. The soil nutrient deficiency in Nigeria's Northern states,
where agriculture thrives, offers opportunities for fertilizer industry growth
(Augustoresearch.com, 2021). This project aims to establish a urea manufacturing facility
connected to the AKK gas pipeline to meet the fertilizer demand in Northwest Nigeria
1.2 Problem Statement
Despite Nigeria's ample natural gas reserves, the northern areas, especially Northwest Nigeria,
still face a shortage of urea fertilizer. This shortfall hurts farming output and holds back socio-
economic progress in the region, without access to affordable, good-quality fertilizers, crop
yields suffer, leading to food insecurity and lower incomes for farmers. This underscores the
necessity for local urea production plants that can make the most of the natural gas from the
AKK gas pipeline.
1.3 Aims and Objectives
This project aims to design a urea plant integrated with a natural gas spur line branching off the
AKK gas pipeline, to meet the fertilizer needs of Northwest Nigeria.
The objectives include:

 To optimize the natural gas spur line routing from the AKK gas pipeline to the urea plant
site, factors like distance, cost, and environmental impact will be considered.
 To select appropriate pipeline materials and design specifications for the construction of
the spur line, ensuring safety, durability, and regulatory compliance.
 Selection of suitable and efficient conversion process and the corresponding flow
diagram.
 Selection of suitable equipment.
 To ensure compliance with regulatory requirements governing urea production, safety
standards, and environmental regulations.
 To evaluate the economic viability of the proposed urea plant project, including capital
investment, operating costs, and revenue projections.
1.4 Scope
The project's goal is to set up a urea production plant in Northwest Nigeria, utilizing natural gas
from a branch of the AKK gas pipeline. It covers designing the facility, choosing the best route
for the branch line, processing the gas, ensuring safety, assessing environmental impacts,
meeting regulations, analyzing economic feasibility, and creating thorough documentation. The
aim is to establish a sustainable plant that can meet the region's fertilizer needs effectively.
1.5 Justification
Establishing a urea plant linked to the AKK gas pipeline is crucial for Northwest Nigeria and the
national economy. It supports the government's industrialization goals, boosting agricultural
productivity, and achieving sustainable economic growth. By using natural gas for urea
production, the project aims to tackle the fertilizer shortage in the region, leading to better crop
yields, improved food security, and job creation opportunities.

References
Adetunji, A. (2020). Nigeria launches $2.8 billion AKK gas pipeline project. Reuters.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-pipeline-idUSKCN24P1AD
International Energy Agency. (2020). Natural gas. https://www.iea.org/topics/natural-gas
International Fertilizer Development Center. (2018). Urea fertilizer: What is it?
https://ifdc.org/2018/06/22/urea-fertilizer/
Sharma, V., & Singh, A. (2021). Production of urea from ammonia and carbon dioxide. In
Encyclopedia of Renewable and Sustainable Materials (Vol. 17, pp. 600-611). Elsevier.
Agustoresearch.com. (2021). 2021 Agricultural Fertilizer Industry Report. Retrieved from
https://www.agustoresearch.com/report/2021-agric-fertilizer-industry-report/

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DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA.

THE AJAOKUTA-KADUNA-KANO (AKK) NATURAL GAS PIPELINE

A FINAL-YEAR DESIGN PROJECT

1.1 Background Study

and transportation (International Energy Agency, 2020).

Urea (NH2CONH2), an essential ingredient in nitrogen-based fertilizers, is made by combining

urea synthesis process (Sharma & Singh, 2021).

modern agriculture, contributing significantly to agricultural productivity and food security

(International Fertilizer Development Center, 2018).

where agriculture thrives, offers opportunities for fertilizer industry growth

(Augustoresearch.com, 2021). This project aims to establish a urea manufacturing facility

1.2 Problem Statement

AKK gas pipeline.

1.3 Aims and Objectives

AKK gas pipeline, to meet the fertilizer needs of Northwest Nigeria.

The objectives include:

the spur line, ensuring safety, durability, and regulatory compliance.

 Selection of suitable equipment.

 To ensure compliance with regulatory requirements governing urea production, safety

standards, and environmental regulations.

investment, operating costs, and revenue projections.

national economy. It supports the government's industrialization goals, boosting agricultural

yields, improved food security, and job creation opportunities.

International Energy Agency. (2020). Natural gas. https://www.iea.org/topics/natural-gas

International Fertilizer Development Center. (2018). Urea fertilizer: What is it?

Agustoresearch.com. (2021). 2021 Agricultural Fertilizer Industry Report. Retrieved from

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