Open AccessAchieving Efficiency in Gas Pipeline Connection: Evidence from Ghana
Author(s) -
Anthony Kudjo Gborgenu,
Frank B. K. Twenefour,
Mathias Gyamfi
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
international journal of business and social research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2164-2559
pISSN - 2164-2540
DOI - 10.18533/ijbsr.v6i5.962
Subject(s) - pipeline transport , natural gas , compressor station , sustainability , pipeline (software) , environmental science , business , environmental economics , environmental engineering , computer science , engineering , economics , waste management , programming language , ecology , biology
The demand for the use of natural gas is on the increase as an energy source. Natural gas transportation requires a continuous pipeline network from the source of gas across long distance to the various destinations. The main objective involves extending gas pipelines from Takoradi to all the regional capital towns in Ghana to meet the growing demands of its citizenry in order to provide economy and efficiency with regards to cost and environmental sustainability by developing a straight forward method of locating pipeline facilities and designing pipeline networks. The problem is formulated as a network of distances and the solution is presented based on Prim’s Algorithm for minimum connections. Data on distances are obtained from the Ghana Highways Authority. The total distance covered by the pipe line network if the existing road networks were used from Takoradi to all the regional capitals towns in Ghana is 5,094km. After Prim’s Algorithm was used, the total distance covered decreased to 1,590km which is about 68.8% reduction in the distance covered with regards to cost and the environmental damage caused by construction of pipelines (soil, forest, rivers, wetlands, noise from compressor stations during pipeline discharge and risk of pipeline leakage).