Nigerian refineries look to maintenance robots
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Business Day Nigeria
Nigerian refineries could increasingly turn to robots capable of physically carrying out maintenance operations. The approach aims to improve the safety, reliability and profitability of facilities, as maintenance remains a major challenge in refining in Nigeria, according to Business Day Nigeria.
Nigerian refineries could turn to robots capable of carrying out physically constrained maintenance operations, as the Dangote refinery processed 700,000 barrels per day in June during a performance test conducted with its concessionaire, according to Business Day Nigeria.
The Dangote refinery, owned by the Nigerian group of the same name, is now targeting a capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028, while modular refineries continue to come into operation in the Niger Delta, Business Day Nigeria reports. Robots and drones are already used for inspection through thermal cameras, gas detectors and anomaly-detection systems, but interventions on valves or irregular surfaces are still largely carried out by technicians.
NNPC Ltd, Nigeria's state-owned oil company, signed a memorandum of understanding in April with two Chinese companies for a technical partnership covering equity participation, completion and operations and maintenance of public refineries. The Port Harcourt and Warri facilities briefly restarted in late 2024 before closing again a few months later, according to Business Day Nigeria.
The new techniques being considered combine learning from technicians' demonstrations, reinforcement learning in simulation, and force and contact sensors. They are intended to enable robots to adapt their movements when real-world conditions differ from the planned designs, Business Day Nigeria reports.
