Study:How to enhance aviation fuel quality

A pioneering local study on microbial contamination of aviation fuel and its handling system in the country has urged quality control agencies to intensify monitoring to enhance quality of supply to the industry.

The study carried out by a team of researchers from University of Ilorin, Kwara State, recommended among others, the incorporation of microbiological standards into the specification requirements of Jet A1/allied products.

Meanwhile, the research, courtesy of its findings, has commended the management of CITA Petroleum Nigeria Limited for compliance with the numerous industry and company’s Proprietary Policies, Standards and Procedure (PSP) covering the entire supply storage and distribution.

Having drawn samples from CITA tank farms at various locations, the study attested that microbial contamination has been contained within the International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidelines, which ensure that fuel is on-specification at point of delivery to aircraft.

The first of such study in Nigeria was aimed at assessing microbial contamination of aviation fuel and fuel handling system at CITA Petroleum Tank Farms located in Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja. The six points on the storage facilities selected for sampling included the bulk fuel, the oil-water surface, the bottom water, the inlet and discharge filters as well as sludge from the separation tanks and environmental surfaces.

Samples were collected on three different occasions between September 2014 and May 2015, representing rainy, harmattan and onset of rainy season, in other to evaluate the effect of seasonality on the detection and frequency of occurrence of the microbial contaminants.

Lead researcher and lecturer at the Department of Microbiology, University of Ilorin, Prof. Albert Olayemi, said though the work might not be enough to establish microbiological quality standards to classify Nigerian fuel (aviation) and fuel handing system, it is nonetheless a first approach to underscore the importance of microbial contamination in aviation fuel and safety.
He said based on the findings, it is recommended that the current practice of removing accumulated bottom water be sustained, coupled with periodic tank cleaning.

He said: “Since most of the microbes are located in the aqueous phase of the water – hydrocarbon interface, the main way to avoid growth and fuel spoilage is removing the accumulated water. Although it may be difficult to prevent microbial contamination because of the impossibility of maintaining sterile conditions in the farm tanks and during transportation, its negative effects can be diminished.”

Olayemi added that the combined monitoring and preventive action costs would normally be less than the costs associated with crises response strategy.
The indigenous study was sponsored by CITA’s $100,000 grant.
An official presentation of the research report was done last week to CITA CEO, Dr. Thomas Ogungbanbe and COO Engr. Olasimbo Betiku, at the CITA’s head office in Lagos preparatory to official unveiling of same at the second IATA Aviation Fuel Systems Management Symposium in Miami next month.