Otimização multi-objetivo de projetos de redes de transporte dutoviário de gás natural

Dutos de transmissão são tubulações especialmente desenvolvidas para transportar produtos diversos a longas distâncias e representam a forma mais segura e econômica de transporte para grandes quantidades de fluidos. Os dutos de gás natural, denominados gasodutos, são usados para transportar o gás desde os campos de produção até os centros consumidores, onde o gás é inserido em redes de distribuição para entrega aos consumidores finais. Os gasodutos de transporte apresentam diversas características de monopólio natural, que são o principal argumento econômico para sua regulação. A regulação visa garantir que esta atividade seja explorada de maneira eficiente, refletindo em tarifas de transporte justas para os consumidores e que proporcionem o retorno adequado aos investidores, levando-se em consideração a quantidade de gás transportado. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo propor metodologias de otimização multi-objetivo de projetos de redes de gasodutos de transporte, envolvendo métodos a posteriori. O problema de otimização formulado contempla restrições associadas ao escoamento do gás e o comportamento das estações de compressão. A solução do problema fornece um conjunto de projetos ótimos de redes de transporte em função da maximização da quantidade de gás natural transportado e da minimização da tarifa associada a esse serviço. A ferramenta foi aplicada a diversos estudos de caso com configurações típicas da indústria de transporte de gás natural. Os resultados mostraram que as metodologias propostas são capazes de fornecer subsídios que permitem ao tomador de decisão do ponto de vista regulatório realizar uma análise de trade-off entre a quantidade de gás transportado e a tarifa, buscando assim atender ao interesse da sociedade em relação à exploração do serviço de transporte

Análise de veículos convertidos para o uso do combustível gás natural

No Brasil, a idéia original era de se utilizar o gás natural como substituto do óleo diesel para o uso na frota de veículos pesados nos centros urbanos. Esta idéia deu lugar a uma maior difusão do uso de gás natural na frota de veículos leves, em função de algumas dificuldades inerentes ao mercado do gás natural como substituto do óleo diesel, tais como a pequena diferença de preços entre o óleo diesel e o gás natural. Com a liberação do uso de gás natural para veículos a gasolina, a partir de 1992, e o crescimento de postos de abastecimento, tem-se notado um grande aumento de veículos convertidos, nas cidades onde o combustível encontra-se disponível, como Porto Alegre. Devido ao aumento de veículos convertidos, decidiu-se elaborar um trabalho que descreve os principais componentes dos “Kits” de conversão encontrados atualmente no mercado para os veículos equipados com carburador e injeção eletrônica, assim como procedimentos para a correta instalação destes componentes. Simultaneamente efetuou-se testes em veículos convertidos para o uso do gás natural, com a obtenção de curvas de potência as quais estabelecem um comparativo entre a utilização de gasolina e gás natural. Também foram feitas análises quanto a emissões de gases tóxicos dos veículos convertidos e a verificação do fator Lambda responsável pela máxima potência ao utilizar-se gás natural como combustível Sendo assim, tem-se como objetivos neste trabalho, a análise do desempenho de veículos adaptados para o uso do gás natural em relação a veículos alimentados com combustíveis líquidos, descrevendo detalhadamente os elementos necessários para a conversão de um veículo, procedimentos básicos para uma conversão eficiente e segura, e vários testes de veículos relacionando o uso do gás natural comparativamente ao uso de combustível líquido. O trabalho é concluído com a indicação dos “Kits” de conversão mais eficientes além da demonstração de algumas técnicas de regulagem baseadas nos resultados obtidos nos testes com os veículos convertidos, as quais visam a redução da perda demasiada de potência, a redução do consumo de combustível gás e a redução das emissões de gases tóxicos.

Impacto da Lei de Acesso à Informação: os casos da Agência Nacional de Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis e das agências reguladoras federais

A publicação da Lei 12.527 em 2011, a Lei de Acesso à Informação, cuja vigência se deu a partir de maio de 2012, uma vez que o texto previa 180 dias para implementação, veio ratificar a instituição da transparência como regra e do sigilo como exceção para todos os níveis e esferas da administração pública brasileira. A entrada em vigor da lei colocou o desafio de transformá-la em instrumento efetivo de apoio a um governo mais aberto e responsivo. Assim, a Lei teve repercussões importantes nas repartições públicas, quanto a novos procedimentos e desenhos institucionais para dar conta de sua amplitude e ambição. Este trabalho realiza uma análise explorativa desses desdobramentos para o primeiro ano e meio de aplicação, tanto do ponto de vista quantitativo quanto qualitativo, para a práxis cotidiana nas Agências Reguladoras Federais e na Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis, em particular.

Desenvolvimento de um mercado competitivo para o gás natural: como a experiência do setor elétrico brasileiro pode servir de modelo para o setor de gás natural

A introdução da competição foi o caminho escolhido no Brasil para o desenvolvimento dos setores de gás natural e energia elétrica. Entretanto, enquanto o mercado de energia elétrica é uma realidade há mais de uma década, o mercado de gás natural ainda não passa de uma boa intenção. O objetivo deste artigo é analisar as experiências e caracteristicas do modelo implementado no mercado de energia elétrica e mostrar como podem servir de exemplos para o desenvolvimento do mercado brasileiro de gás natural.

Gás natural

A FGV Energia tomou a iniciativa de liderar o debate, visando obter propostas e alternativas construtivas para um setor de gás sustentável no Brasil. Através do questionamento crítico da sua equipe de pesquisadores e de entrevistas, realizadas ao longo de seis meses com especialistas e líderes do setor, a FGV Energia elaborou um quadro abrangente sobre os principais temas que vêm impactando o desenvolvimento do setor e as principais preocupações dos agentes investidores. Existe uma quase unanimidade e convergência, entre todos os agentes ouvidos, sobre a necessidade de um planejamento integrado e participativo para o setor, e a urgência em se elaborar uma agenda prática e construtiva.

O princípio constitucional da redução das desigualdades regionais e o transporte de gás natural

In a country of continental dimensions as Brazil, one of the top challenges to its economic growth is the logistic related to energetical demand supply. We live now in the era of environmental protection and, in this new context of priorizations, it passes trough the search for alternative energies for the energetic matrix, due the petroleum elevated costs in the global market (and its finitude), but also due its pollution over the environment. This attempt of substitution needs solutions related to the national reality, into a national long term developing plan and based at a juridical-economic analysis of its realization. This study will look for, also based in an economical analysis, the juridical legitimity of choosing natural gas as the new protagonist of national economic growth (as a substitute of petroleum) and the necessary boost that must be done by law, based on an economic policy focused strictly for that fact, as a modifying agent of this reality. This study, therefore, will always be turned to a constitutional aspect, respecting the principles of economic order and the goal of reducing regional inequalities, which must influence the making off of a developing plan. At the end, it will try to demonstrate the juridical viability of such undertaking, tuned in jus-economical criteria. Another goal is related to the analysis of the natural gas industry, due the regulation of its transport has a major importance for national energetic integration, not only because this activity be characterized as a net industry, still under control of a natural monopoly, but also because the competitive or cooperative profile that should be priorized at the beginning of the economic planning for this activity (such as investment policies and its own rules that will submit private agents)

Regulação do livre acesso no transporte de gás natural à luz da ordem econômica da Constituição de 1988

In the middle of modern social changes produced by globalization and capitalism, several markets have changed. States have left the direct coordination of these markets (chiefly public utility sector in the form of monopolies), introducing regulation in order to promote competition. These changes have affected natural gas industry by promoting competition as a key factor to the development and the increase of firms in this market. The regulatory reform of natural gas industry ocurred in EUA and Europe Union and it has produced its first results. In Brazilian context, Constitutional Amendment nbr. 09 and Federal Law nbr. 9.478/97 ( Petroleum Law ) opened the natural gas market to a broad range of private economic agents and they finished the monopoly over the industry before managed by Petrobras. The new regulatory framework of Brazilian natural gas industry has designed competition as a central element to the new form of managment of business and contractual relationships of this industry. Among the regulatory instruments, open access regulation in natural gas pipelines is directed to promote competition. The questions arised about its implementation in Brazilian context are studied in the present work, in which it is discussed the constitutional rules and principles are to be applied to the open access regulation within the theme of statal regulation of economy present in constitutional economic order

Fatores de sucesso no desenvolvimento de novos produtos em pequenas empresas: um estudo de caso em um fabricante de equipamentos para gás natural veicular

This study presents itself as a contribution to the solidification of the Natural Gas industry, within the scope of the development of new products. The goal of this paper is to analyze the factors that lead to the success of new products through the evaluation of the activities done during the process of development of these products in the Natural Gas sector. To achieve this goal a case study was done in a small company of this segment. At first, as a basis for the study, a bibliographical research was done with books, theses, dissertations, monographies, publications in national and international periodicals, congress annals and publications in the internet related to the subject. Afterwards, a case study was done, aiming at the acquisition of further knowledge about the real process of development of products in a small company of the Natural Gas sector, allowing for the performance of the evaluation. The case study was done at Gas Project and Systems do Brasil, a company that works with the development of electronic equipment to the conversion of car engines to natural gas, through direct observations and interviews with the person responsible for the development and management of products. Through the evaluation of the process it was observed that the activities related to it are done in an informal way and some activities are considered unnecessary for their success. The results also suggest an emphasis in the technological activities, something that was not observed in the activities related to the market. The instruments used in this evaluation prove to be efficient to evaluate the process of development of new products in other companies, including those of different areas. Taking into account the relevance of the studied theme to the strengthening of the Natural Gas industry, it is necessary to do further complementary studies

Fator de decisão na adoção de um sistema de micro-cogeração de energia a gás natural :um estudo em Hotéis três estrelas

The natural gas perform a essential paper, not only in primary sectors of energy, but also in others sectors of economy. The use natural gas will have expansion in Brazil, motivated by governmental decision to increase the participation of this fuel in the Brazilian energy matrix from 4% to 12% up until 2010. in order to reach the objective related to increase the consumption of natural gas in the energy matrix and to propose solutions to attend the electric requirements of heart and refrigeration, using natural gas as primary power plant. This thesis has a main objective to analysis the perception of businessmen of hotel sector about the feasability of investment with micro-cogeneration system by natural gas in their hotel in turistic sector, in Natal/RN. It s show a case for the hotels selected analyzing the actual knowledge of businessmen about alternative of new technology in generation of owner energy. There was make a interview using a standard form researching information about this topic. In this interview has shown 4 (four) canaries for businessmen with different configurations of investment in micro-cogeneration. Two of this canaries uses the project finance like option to make fasible this projects. The resulteis showed who businessmen has insecurity to make decision to put in office alone, or with a local company, and perhaps with a national company to perform for a alternative energy system, justifying, the alone feasability and without information by local businessmen. Apart from that, they are receptive for a option to put in office in micro-cogeneration configured in the settings using project finance

Remoção de hidrocarbonetos do gás natural visando o ajuste do índice de metano

The use of the natural gas is growing year after year in the whole world and also in Brazil. It is verified that in the last five years the profile of natural gas consumption reached a great advance and investments had been carried through in this area. In the oil industry, the use of the natural gas for fuel in the drive of engines is usual for a long date. It is also used to put into motion equipment, or still, to generate electric power. Such engines are based on the motor cycle of combustion Otto, who requires a natural gas with well definite specification, conferring characteristic anti-detonating necessary to the equipment performance for projects based on this cycle. In this work, process routes and thermodynamic conditions had been selected and evaluated. Based on simulation assays carried out in commercial simulators the content of the methane index of the effluent gas were evaluated at various ranges of pressure, temperature, flowrate, molecular weight and chemical nature and composition of the absorbent. As final result, it was established a route based on process efficiency, optimized consumption of energy and absorbent. Thereby, it serves as base for the compact equipment conception to be used in locu into the industry for the removal of hydrocarbon from the natural gas produced

Avaliação da remoção de sulfeto de hidrogênio do gás natural em uma coluna de absorção

Natural gas, although basically composed by light hydrocarbons, also presents in its composition gaseous contaminants such as CO2 (carbon dioxide) and H2S (hydrogen sulfide). Hydrogen sulfide, which commonly occurs in oil and gas exploration and production activities, besides being among the gases that are responsible by the acid rain and greenhouse effect, can also cause serious harm to health, leading even to death, and damages to oil and natural gas pipelines. Therefore, the removal of hydrogen sulfide will significantly reduce operational costs and will result in oil with best quality to be sent to refinery, thereby resulting in economical, environmental, and social benefits. These factors highlight the need for the development and improvement of hydrogen sulfide sequestrating agents to be used in the oil industry. Nowadays there are several procedures for hydrogen sulfide removal from natural gas used by the petroleum industry. However, they produce derivatives of amines that are harmful to the distillation towers, form insoluble precipitates that cause pipe clogging and produce wastes of high environmental impact. Therefore, the obtaining of a stable system, in inorganic or organic reaction media, that is able to remove hydrogen sulfide without forming by-products that affect the quality and costs of natural gas processing, transport and distribution is of great importance. In this context, the evaluation of the kinetics of H2S removal is a valuable procedure for the treatment of natural gas and disposal of the byproducts generated by the process. This evaluation was made in an absorption column packed with Raschig ring, where natural gas with H2S passes through a stagnant solution, being the contaminant absorbed by it. The content of H2S in natural gas in column output was monitored by an H2S analyzer. The comparison between the obtained curves and the study of the involved reactions have not only allowed to determine the efficiency and mass transfer controlling step of the involved processes but also make possible to effect a more detailed kinetic study and evaluate the commercial potential of each reagent

Avaliação e modelagem da absorção de H2S do gás natural em coluna de leito estagnado

Natural gas, although basically composed by light hydrocarbons, also presents contaminant gases in its composition, such as CO2 (carbon dioxide) and H2S (hydrogen sulfide). The H2S, which commonly occurs in oil and gas exploration and production activities, causes damages in oil and natural gas pipelines. Consequently, the removal of hydrogen sulfide gas will result in an important reduction in operating costs. Also, it is essential to consider the better quality of the oil to be processed in the refinery, thus resulting in benefits in economic, environmental and social areas. All this facts demonstrate the need for the development and improvement in hydrogen sulfide scavengers. Currently, the oil industry uses several processes for hydrogen sulfide removal from natural gas. However, these processes produce amine derivatives which can cause damage in distillation towers, can cause clogging of pipelines by formation of insoluble precipitates, and also produce residues with great environmental impact. Therefore, it is of great importance the obtaining of a stable system, in inorganic or organic reaction media, able to remove hydrogen sulfide without formation of by-products that can affect the quality and cost of natural gas processing, transport, and distribution steps. Seeking the study, evaluation and modeling of mass transfer and kinetics of hydrogen removal, in this study it was used an absorption column packed with Raschig rings, where the natural gas, with H2S as contaminant, passed through an aqueous solution of inorganic compounds as stagnant liquid, being this contaminant gas absorbed by the liquid phase. This absorption column was coupled with a H2S detection system, with interface with a computer. The data and the model equations were solved by the least squares method, modified by Levemberg-Marquardt. In this study, in addition to the water, it were used the following solutions: sodium hydroxide, potassium permanganate, ferric chloride, copper sulfate, zinc chloride, potassium chromate, and manganese sulfate, all at low concentrations (»10 ppm). These solutions were used looking for the evaluation of the interference between absorption physical and chemical parameters, or even to get a better mass transfer coefficient, as in mixing reactors and absorption columns operating in counterflow. In this context, the evaluation of H2S removal arises as a valuable procedure for the treatment of natural gas and destination of process by-products. The study of the obtained absorption curves makes possible to determine the mass transfer predominant stage in the involved processes, the mass transfer volumetric coefficients, and the equilibrium concentrations. It was also performed a kinetic study. The obtained results showed that the H2S removal kinetics is greater for NaOH. Considering that the study was performed at low concentrations of chemical reagents, it was possible to check the effect of secondary reactions in the other chemicals, especially in the case of KMnO4, which shows that your by-product, MnO2, acts in H2S absorption process. In addition, CuSO4 and FeCl3 also demonstrated to have good efficiency in H2S removal

Estudo do desempenho de resinas poliméricas para remoção de H2S do gás natural

The natural gas (NG) is a clean energy source and found in the underground of porous rocks, associated or not to oil. Its basic composition includes methane, ethane, propane and other components, like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulphide and water. H2S is one of the natural pollutants of the natural gas. It is considered critical concerning corrosion. Its presence depends on origin, as well as of the process used in the gas treatment. It can cause problems in the tubing materials and final applications of the NG. The Agência Nacional do Petróleo sets out that the maximum concentration of H2S in the natural gas, originally national or imported, commercialized in Brazil must contain 10 -15 mg/cm3. In the Processing Units of Natural Gas, there are used different methods in the removal of H2S, for instance, adsorption towers filled with activated coal, zeolites and sulfatreat (solid, dry, granular and based on iron oxide). In this work, ion exchange resins were used as adsorbing materials. The resins were characterized by thermo gravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy and sweeping electronic microscopy. The adsorption tests were performed in a system linked to a gas-powered chromatograph. The present H2S in the exit of this system was monitored by a photometrical detector of pulsing flame. The electronic microscopy analyzes showed that the topography and morphology of the resins favor the adsorption process. Some characteristics were found such as, macro behavior, particles of variable sizes, spherical geometries, without the visualization of any pores in the surface. The infrared specters presented the main frequencies of vibration associated to the functional group of the amines and polymeric matrixes. When the resins are compared with sulfatreat, under the same experimental conditions, they showed a similar performance in retention times and adsorption capacities, making them competitive ones for the desulphurization process of the natural gas

Estudo do desempenho de resinas poliméricas para remoção de H2S do gás natural

The natural gas (NG) is a clean energy source and found in the underground of porous rocks, associated or not to oil. Its basic composition includes methane, ethane, propane and other components, like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen sulphide and water. H2S is one of the natural pollutants of the natural gas. It is considered critical concerning corrosion. Its presence depends on origin, as well as of the process used in the gas treatment. It can cause problems in the tubing materials and final applications of the NG. The Agência Nacional do Petróleo sets out that the maximum concentration of H2S in the natural gas, originally national or imported, commercialized in Brazil must contain 10 -15 mg/cm3. In the Processing Units of Natural Gas, there are used different methods in the removal of H2S, for instance, adsorption towers filled with activated coal, zeolites and sulfatreat (solid, dry, granular and based on iron oxide). In this work, ion exchange resins were used as adsorbing materials. The resins were characterized by thermo gravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy and sweeping electronic microscopy. The adsorption tests were performed in a system linked to a gas-powered chromatograph. The present H2S in the exit of this system was monitored by a photometrical detector of pulsing flame. The electronic microscopy analyzes showed that the topography and morphology of the resins favor the adsorption process. Some characteristics were found such as, macro behavior, particles of variable sizes, spherical geometries, without the visualization of any pores in the surface. The infrared specters presented the main frequencies of vibration associated to the functional group of the amines and polymeric matrixes. When the resins are compared with sulfatreat, under the same experimental conditions, they showed a similar performance in retention times and adsorption capacities, making them competitive ones for the desulphurization process of the natural gas