THE Federal Ministry of Science and Technology has secured the approval of FEC to exploit the production of methanol.
Research classifies methanol as simple alcohol, consisting of a methyl group linked to a hydroxyl group. It is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor similar to that of ethanol (drinking alcohol). It is however far more toxic than ethanol. At room temperature, it is a polar liquid.
Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonaya Onu who outlined the benefits of methanol production, said it was in line with the diversification policy of the federal government.
The Science and Tech Minister explained, “The federal ministry of science and technology presented a memo to FEC that requires the utilization of methanol in our economy. The problem that we have in the Niger Delta where one natural gas is flared and it has created lots of environmental problems for our fellow Nigerian living around those areas where there is continuous flaring and it’s a major concern to this administration.
“One way to help us to completely solve this problem of gas flaring is to convert the natural gas into methane, methanol is a liquid that is found virtually in all sector of the economy. You can use methanol for transportation, all these racing cars that you find – like M85, M100 essentially that M is methanol means it’s 85 per cent methanol, 15 per cent gasoline.
“But for ordinary use, normally the blending will be 15 per cent of methanol so that you don’t have to make any adjustment to your vehicle. Then also, methanol can be used to replace diesel in these trucks that we find in our highways because methanol is cheaper and it is environmentally friendly so that all the problems that are associated with the use of diesel, that can be solved by the use of methanol.
“Also, our people in rural areas can use methanol for cooking so that it can replace kerosene because when you use kerosene you have soothes and it creates health problem for you but methanol does not have that, it’s very clean, safe and cheap”.