MOLAR MASS

The molar mass of a substance is its relative molecular mass expressed in grams per mole.

RELATIVE ATOMIC MASS

The relative atomic mass of an element or compound is the number of times the average mass of one atom of that element is heavier than one-twelfth the mass of one atom of carbon-12.

RELATIVE MOLECULAR MASS

The relative molecular mass of an element or compound, is the number of times the average mass of one molecule of it is heavier than one-twelfth the mass of one atom of carbon-12.

The relative molecular mass of an element, is the sum of the relative atomic masses of all the atoms in one molecule of that substance. It is also referred to as the formula mass, this is a more general term.

Note that the relative molecular mass refers only to the relative mass of a molecule.  The formula mass refers not only to the relative mass of a molecule,  but also that of an ion, radical,  electron or any other specified groups or nuclear particles.

RADICALS

A radical is a group of atoms that functions as a single unit in chemical reactions.

PARTICULATE NATURE OF MATTER

Matter is made up of discrete particles, the most widely known ones being atoms, molecules and ions.

WHAT IS AN ION?

An ion is an atom or group of atoms which possess an electric charge.

There are two types of ions: the positively charged ion known as cations, and the negatively charged ions known as anions.

Ions are represented by formulae.

ATOMICITY OF AN ELEMENT

The atomicity of an element is the number of atoms in each molecule of an element.

This number is usually small. Example is in oxygen and chlorine, they are diatomic, meaning their molecules have two atoms, and sulphur and phosphorus exists as polyatomic molecules.

WHAT IS AN ATOM?

The word ATOM from ancient Greek means indivisible. It is used to describe the smallest particle of any substance. It is considered to be the basic unit of simple substances or elements.

An atom is the smallest particle of an element which can take part in a chemical reaction. It is the smallest part of an element that can exist, and still possess the chemical properties of that element.

All atoms are represented by symbols.

WHAT IS A MOLECULE

A molecule is the smallest particle of a substance that can normally exist alone and still retain the chemical properties of that substance.

It is the smallest particle of an element that can exist in free state.

All molecules are represented by formulae.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ATOMS AND MOLECULES

Most atoms of the same elements or different elements cannot exist alone, so they bond together with other atoms to form molecules, to exist alone.

LAWS OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

There are four laws of chemical combination, which will be stated here in this post. They include:

1). THE LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MASS: this law states that matter can neither be created nor destroyed,  but changes from one form to another.

2). THE LAW OF DEFINITE PROPORTION S: this law is also known as the law of constant composition.  It states that all pure samples of a particular chemical compound, contain the same elements combined in the same proportion by mass.

3). THE LAW OF MULTIPLE PROPORTIONS: this law states that if two elements A and B combine to form more than one compound, then the various masses of one element A, which combines with the fixed mass of the other element B, are in simple multiple ratio.

4). THE LAW OF RECIPROCAL PROPORTIONS: it states that the masses of several elements A, B, C, which combines separately with the fixed mass of another element D are the same as or simple multiples of the masses in which A, B, C themselves combine with one another.

TROLL FIELD OF NORWAY SHUTS DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE

(Photo credit : upstreamonline)


Gas exports in Norway was slashed by more than a third on Friday, due to the shutdown for maintenance, of the stalwart Troll field operated by Statoil.

According to upstreamonline, pipeline gas flows to the UK and other European countries were running at a rate of 187million cubic meters per day at 06:25 GMT, down from 109MMcmd the previous day. This included a 13 MMcmd reduction to the UK and a drop of 55 MMcmd to Germany and the Netherlands combined.

Troll accounts for 30% of Norwegian pipeline gas output, and will be shut down for maintenance until 28 April, with the Kvitbjorn field to be closed until 16 April.

As a result of this shut downs, the Kollsnes onshore processing plant, which receives gas from both North Sea Fields, will be shut down from 10 to 16 April.

Norway's total production capacity will be reduced by more than 40 MMcmd, or about 40% of the total, due to the maintenance work.

Read it here  http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/1396771/troll-shutdown-hits-norway-output

WHAT IS CHEMICAL ENGINEERING?

Chemical Engineering is a type of Engineering, that deals with the manufacture of useful products from raw materials, by the application of controlled chemical and physical processes. Chemical engineering uses the basic principles of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Economics to solve problems.

ZEIDAN SAYS MEDIATORS ARE SEEKING TO END OIL DISPUTE - LIBYA

Libya’s Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said the government would give mediators a chance to end a standoff with protesters blockading eastern oil ports, seeking a peaceful solution even after an escalation of the dispute over crude exports.

Libya’s navy last week fired warning shots at an oil tanker the government said tried to load crude at one of the terminals seized by protesters who are demanding more regional autonomy and a greater share of oil.

Two years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, the port dispute is the most serious challenge to the fragile central government as it struggles to control former militias and rebels, who refuse to bow to Tripoli’s authority.

With Libya’s leadership hamstrung by infighting and a nascent army still in training, Zeidan’s government may have little option but to seek help from mediators in trying to negotiate an end to the crisis.

For several months, delegations from Libya’s General National Congress parliament and from tribal leaders have reached out to protesters but with little success.

“We are now in touch with mediators who intend to dialogue with those occupying the ports,” Zeidan said at a press conference.

“We have two solutions: Through force or peaceful means. We preferred the peaceful way. We have found some people who say they can do this, and we will give them the chance.”

Libya’s crude production last week was at around 600,000 barrels per day, down from 1.4 million bpd, which is putting a strain on public finances that depend almost completely on oil revenue.

Eastern oil protesters in August took over the ports of Ras Lanuf, Es-Sider and Zueitina, which previously accounted for 600,000 bpd in exports, to demand more political autonomy for the region and a share of Libya’s crude sales.

Eastern federalists from the self-declared Cyrenaica government promise that ships can safely dock at the ports they control, dismissing Zeidan’s warnings that tankers may be destroyed if they try.

But even with the government’s limited military resources, experts say, protesters may struggle to find tanker operators willing to risk entering ports to load cargoes of discounted crude, which the government would see as an act of piracy.

Negotiations have had more success in the west and the south, where protests ended at the major El Sharara field, allowing its production to rise again to around 328,00 bpd, according to the state-run National Oil Corp.

Political solutions are complicated in Libya, where the General National Congress and its members have yet to complete vital parts of the transition to democracy since Gaddafi’s fall, including the writing a new constitution.

The parliament is deadlocked between secular and Islamist parties, while militias that once helped fight Gaddafi have refused to disarm, claiming that Tripoli is too weak to guarantee stability.

[ENERGY MIX REPORT]

OIL REVENUE DROPS TO N479.9BN IN DECEMBER

Following serious disruptions in crude oil production and lifting operations including vandalism of pipelines, maintenance and the Force Majeure declared at Bonny Terminal, monthly gross oil revenue dropped by N117. 802 billion to N479.950 billion in December compared to N597.752 billion the previous month.

Notwithstanding, a total distributable revenue including Value Added Tax (VAT) amounting to N581.498 billion was yesterday shared among the three tiers of government for December.
Revenue collection from VAT also fell to N64.725 billion in the period under review compared to N91.730 billion in November.

Addressing journalists last night after the monthly meeting of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) in Abuja, the Minister of State for Finance, Alhaji Yerima Ngama, said mineral revenue of N379.122 billion which was received for the month fell short of the budgeted amount of N465.057 billion while the non-mineral revenue of N100.828 billion also fell short of the budgeted figure of N158.711 billion.

Although Ngama noted that the meeting had been hitch-free but the Chairman, Commissioners of Finance Forum, Mr. Timothy Odah, told journalists that there were some reservations.

He said a post- mortem committee had been inaugurated and further empowered to monitor revenue remitting agencies especially the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Meanwhile, the distributable statutory revenue for the month stood at N473.607 billion.
A breakdown of the statutory revenue distribution showed that the federal government got N221.161 billion while the states shared N112.176 billion as well as the local governments, which got N86.483 billion.

The oil and gas producing regions shared N48.461 billion as derivation fund.
Also shared was the N7.617 billion refund from the NNPC.

[ENERGY MIX REPORT]

FG APPROVES N1.9BN FOR ONITSHA-NEW HAVEN POWER TRANSMISSION PROJECT

 

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N1.9 billion for the supply of 746-kilometer of Aluminium Conductor Composite Core Reinforced (ACCR) for the re-conduction of the Onitsha-New Haven 330kv transmission line.

The approval was sequel to  a memo brought before it by the Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, who sought approval for the award of the contract.

Briefing journalists shortly after the FEC meeting, Nebo said the project would  generate  about 3,000 employment  during the installation of the conductor.

He equally disclosed that the multiplier effect of additional 400 mega watt of power to the thriving areas of New Haven, Abakaliki and Makurdi would stimulate the generation of over one million jobs.

“The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) intends to fund the contract for the supply of the 746-kilometer of ACCR conductor from the $135 million allocated to TCN from the proceeds of the Eurobond recently issued by the federal government.”

“The reinforcement of the line would improve the nation’s transmission capacity and facilitate the evacuation of stranded generation from Afam and Okpai power plants.

“Council approved the award of contract for the supply of 746-kilometer of ACCR for the re-conductor in favour of Composite Technology  Corporation (a United States  firm) in the sum of $11.2million payable at the prevailing rate of exchange plus N189.43 million inclusive of five per cent Value Added Tax (VAT), with a delivery period of 20 weeks” the minister stressed.

[ENERGY MIX REPORT]

LABARAN MAKU - WHY FG SUSPENDED THE PRIVATISATION OF REFINERIES

The Federal Government suspended the proposed sale the nation’s four refineries in order to ensure the stability of the political environment, the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, has said.

Maku, who spoke in an interview with a correspondent of punch newspaper in Abuja on Wednesday, said although the Federal Government believed in the benefits of privatising the refineries to the Nigerian economy, a decision on the sale would be taken when critical stakeholders come to an agreement on the need for the action.

Making a reference to the protests that greeted the deregulation of the pump prices of petroleum products on January 1, 2012, the minister said any instability now could stress  the economy, adding that there was a need for all critical stakeholders to appreciate the need for the sale of the refineries.

He said, “We have a huge challenge winning citizens to appreciate that the deregulation will be to the advantage of the economy and the welfare of the citizens. In every political system, unless the people are won over, even when your policies are right, you can create a major problem as we saw in January 2012 when we brought up the issue of deregulation.

“The media, the civil society, political organisations and everybody was up in arms against the government. You have to weigh the options. Stability is very crucial to the realisation of national objectives.”

The minister said without stability, a lot of costs would be incurred in trying to win the citizens’ hearts and stabilising  economic activities, adding that up until now, the country was still having the challenge of winning Nigerians to its side because the issue of deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry had been politicised.

Maku added, “Every political opponent is busy trying to show that he loves the citizens more than the other party. So, in the course of this, we believe that Nigerians will come to see the losses we are sustaining today by keeping this wrong economic regulation in place.”

[ENERGY MIX REPORT]

OIL INDUSTRY METERING POLICY BEGINS FEBRUARY 1

The Federal Government Of Nigeria has said that the full implementation of the accurate metering policy in the oil and gas sector by the Weights and Measures Department of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment will begin on the 1st of February.

This was disclosed by the Director, Weights and Measures, Mr. Oluyinka Sikuade, during a technical meeting between officials of the ministry and the consultants handling the project.

A statement from the ministry on Wednesday quoted Sikuade as saying that ''the full implementation of legal metrology services in the oil and gas sector would enable stakeholders to conform with the weights and measure regulation.''

He said, “We are going to look at the metering system of the operators for accuracy, equity, fairness and conformity. We will take into consideration internationally acceptable error margin for us to have fair and justice in trading devices used by the operators.” 

FG, EX-MILITANTS TO PARTNER IN FIGHT AGAINST OIL THIEVES

A group of Urhobo ex-militants has vowed to join forces with President Goodluck Jonathan and security agents to curb oil theft across waterways in Delta and Bayelsa states.

The ex-militants operate on the platform of Urhobo Arms Struggle, UAS.

National Chairman of UAS, Mr Israel Akpodoro , who gave the assurance during a courtesy visit on a former senatorial aspirant on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Mr. Daniel Idonor, last weekend, applauded the move by President Goodluck Jonathan to provide adequate security for oil and gas installations in Urhoboland.

[ENERGY MIX REPORT]

OXFORD BUSINESS GROUP (OBG) REPORTS NIGEREIA'S POWER SECTOR AS A NEW INVESTMENT HUB

Oxford Business Group (OBG), reports that the Nigeria's power sector looks set to play a major role in addressing the country's electricity shortage.

Ms. Stephanie Parker, the Director Circulation and Communications OBG, said that the major part that the privatisation of Nigeria's power sector will play is the addressing of the country's long standing electricity shortages.

The report, which was tagged  “ Nigeria 2013”, contains a contribution from President Goodluck Jonathan, together with a detailed, sector-by-sector guide for investors.

Ms. Parker also said the Report analysed the country’s bid to overhaul its oil production infrastructure, which is seen as key to sustaining output and boosting downstream processing. It mulls the challenges facing Africa’s number one oil producer, while documenting new initiatives, such as plans to channel funds into deep water reserves exploration.