Heavy Fuel Oil Research Articles

Evaporation and combustion of low asphaltene heavy oil droplets under conditions representative of practical applications

The evaporation and burning characteristics of isolated heavy fuel oil (HFO) droplets are experimentally studied at conditions representative of practical applications, producing novel, detailed results on the effect of oxygen concentration. Also, and for the first time for HFO, the temporal evolution of the flame stand-off ratio (based on CH* emission) and the cenosphere burning size are presented along with the droplet size histories. The effect of ambient oxygen concentration is first analyzed qualitatively, identifying different sub-stages. Later, a quantitative analysis is presented in terms of ignition delay time, micro-explosion regimes, shell swelling ratio, cenosphere size and several time metrics. The results show that, as ambient oxygen changes, the liquid and solid stages show marked differences not only in terms of time scales but also in the transitions of burning regimes. Cenospheres generated in oxygen-free conditions are found to be ∼1.4 times larger than those in droplet combustion. Although similar in size, the solid-to-liquid consumption time ratio in 5% O2 is found to be significantly longer, about twice than for the 10% O2 ambient. The characterization of these differences is thought to be relevant not only for oil flames but also for the promising future of heavy oil gasification applications.

Chemical kinetics of SARA fractions pyrolysis: Saturates and aromatics

This manuscript focuses on presenting a predictive and widely applicable model for describing the pyrolysis of saturates and aromatics, two of the so called SARA (Saturates, Aromatics, Resins, Asphaltenes) fractions. The fractions extracted from two different oil samples, a typical Heavy Fuel Oil 380 and a typical Vacuum Residue Oil, were thoroughly investigated. Different experimental methods elucidated the elemental composition, chemical structure, thermal degradation behavior, and characterized the products released during the pyrolysis of these two oils. Finally, a model to describe the pyrolysis of saturates and aromatics was developed. The model is comprehensive of methodology for the definition of a surrogate and a kinetic mechanism to describe its pyrolysis. The surrogate is defined using a certain number of pseudo-components, whose mass fraction in the mixture is defined to match the chemical properties of the actual fuel. A kinetic mechanism was defined by pairing each pseudo-component with a reaction to describe its thermal decomposition. The model was then validated against literature data and demonstrated to be predictive in describing the pyrolysis of different samples.

Liquid Products from Ternary, Quaternary, and Quinary Co-pyrolysis of Waste Plastics and Residual Fuel Oil: Characterization and Potential Applications

Liquid Products from Ternary, Quaternary, and Quinary Co-pyrolysis of Waste Plastics and Residual Fuel Oil: Characterization and Potential Applications

Simulating the Rising Air Bubbles Stream through Heavy Fuel Oil Residue Bubble Column Reactor using COMSOL

Several industrial operations rely on the rise of air bubbles through heavy fuel oil residue (HFOr), including oil recovery and wastewater treatment. In order to increase efficiency and decrease expenses, it is necessary to understand the peculiarities of this process. With the help of COMSOL Multiphysics, we numerically simulate the ascent of a single air bubble via HFOr in this article. The dimensions of the container used in the simulations were (100) mm in diameter and (200) mm in height, with an air bubble diameter of 4.5 mm. For an air bubble ascending through an HFOr column, the predicted numerical outcomes are contrasted with nine experimental versions. As the bubble rose higher, the region with the greatest number of vortices was located on its side. The remaining vortex is contained inside the bubble. In addition, since drag decreases the flow, a lighter fluid usually exhibits a region of strong vortex and low pressure. Because of the oscillation effect, the results reveal that the rising velocity initially rises and then gradually falls between 0.6 and 0.65 s. The air bubbles' wavy motion is caused by the high fluid density, which becomes worse as the air velocity gets higher. The values of the drag coefficient rise sharply with decreasing air extrusion speed. It turns out that the height of the fluid has an inverse relationship with the pressure.

Synthesis of mixed-base active material from drilling fluid solid waste and biomass for oil wastewater adsorption and its mechanism

To address the issues of high energy consumption, high cost and the risk of secondary pollution in drilling fluid solid waste treatment methods, this study prepared a mixed-based active material using drilling fluid solid waste and biomass materials as raw materials. The mixed-based active material is characterized by its abundant pore structure and high pore volume, demonstrating excellent adsorption performance for heavy metal ions and residual oil in industrial wastewater. Thermogravimetric and basic physical property analyses indicated a synergistic effect between drilling fluid solid waste and biomass materials, showing that joint pyrolysis of the two can enhance the yield of active materials. The adsorption performance of mixed-base active materials for heavy metal ions and residual oil were was tested. It was found that the removal rate of four heavy metal ions (Cr6+, Mn2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+) from the solution could reached 57.1 %, 96.3 %, 99.0 % and 94.1 %, respectively, at a concentration of 0.5 g/L of mixed-base active materials. Characterization revealed that the mixed-base activated carbon has a well-developed pore structure and numerous types of functional groups. The isothermal adsorption process of heavy metal ions by the active material is consistent with the Langmuir model and belongs to the monomolecular layer adsorption. The adsorption rate model of residual oil in wastewater by active materials conforms to the pseudo-second-order equation. The adsorption performance of mixed-base active materials primarily stems from physical adsorption enabled by their well-developed internal pore structure, along with chemical adsorption facilitated by oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups on the surface.

Economic framework for green shipping corridors: Evaluating cost-effective transition from fossil fuels towards hydrogen

Global warming's major cause is the emission of greenhouse-effect gases (GHG), especially carbon dioxide (CO2) whose main source is the combustion of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels serve as the primary energy source in many industries, including shipping, which is the focus of this study. One of the measures proposed to tackle GHG emissions is the development of green shipping corridors - carbon-free shipping routes that require the transition to alternative fuels, which are gaining competitiveness. One of the reasons for that is carbon pricing, which taxes CO2 emissions. However, the lack of consensus on the most cost-advantageous alternative fuel in the long run results in the delay of the implementation of green shipping corridors.To make it more accessible for stakeholders to conduct an economic analysis of the various options, a framework to determine and minimize the costs of transitioning from fossil fuels to any alternative fuel is proposed, over the period of one voyage, considering the lost opportunity cost, the deployment cost of bunkering vessels at the necessary call ports, the cost of converting the vessel, the car-bon emissions tax cost, and the fuel cost. This will allow stakeholders to choose the most economical alternative fuel, accelerating the development of green shipping corridor initiatives. To validate the effectiveness of the framework, it was applied in a case study involving a shipowner seeking to transition from heavy fuel oil (HFO) to Ammonia, Hydrogen, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), or Methanol. This study faced limitations due to the unknown costs of installing bunkering vessels for Ammonia and Hydrogen. However, it evaluates the cost-effectiveness of alternative fuels, providing insights into their short-term economic viability. The results showed that Hydrogen is the most cost-advantageous fuel until a deployment cost per bunkering vessel of 1,990,285$ for a sailing speed of 22 knots and 2,190,171$ for a sailing speed of 18 knots is reached, after which LNG becomes the most economical option regardless of variations in the carbon tax. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the effects of variations in parameters, such as carbon tax, fuel prices and vessel conversion costs in the total cost of each fuel option. Results highlighted that even though HFO remains the most economical fuel option, even when considering a high increase in carbon tax, the cost gap between HFO and alternative fuels narrows significantly with the increase in carbon tax. Furthermore, the sailing speed impacts the fuels’ competitiveness, as the cost difference between HFO and alternative fuels decreases at higher speeds.

Finer Particle Size Distribution and Potential Higher Toxicity of Elemental Carbon and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Emitted by Ships after Fuel Oil Quality Improvement.

Ship emissions are a significant source of air pollution, and the primary policy to control is fuel oil quality improvement. However, the impact of this policy on particle size distribution and composition characteristics remains unclear. Measurements were conducted on nine different vessels (ocean-going vessels, coastal cargo ships, and inland cargo ships) to determine the impact of fuel upgrading (S < 0.1% m/m marine gas oil (MGO) vs S < 0.5% m/m heavy fuel oil (HFO)) on elemental carbon (EC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted by ships. (1) Fuel improvement significantly reduced EC and PAH emission, by 31 ± 25 and 45 ± 38%, respectively. However, particle size distributions showed a trend toward finer particles, with the peak size decreasing from DP = 0.38-0.60 μm (HFO) to DP = 0.15-0.25 μm (MGO), and the emission factor of DP < 100 nm increased. (2) Changes in emission characteristics led to an increase in the toxicity of ultrafine particulate matter. (3) Ship types and engine conditions affected the EC and PAH particle size distributions. Inland ships have a more concentrated particle size distribution. Higher loads result in higher emissions. (4) The composition and engine conditions of fuel oils jointly affected pollutant formation mechanisms. MGO and HFO exhibited opposite EC emissions when emitting the same level of PAHs.

Evaluating The Impact of Increased Heavy Oil Consumption on Urban Pollution Levels through Isotope (δ13C, δ34S, 14C) Composition

The impact of heavy fuel oil (HFO) on the chemical and isotopic composition of submicron particulate matter (PM1) was investigated. For this purpose, we conducted an analysis of water-soluble inorganic ions (WSIIs) and multiple isotopes (δ34S, δ13C, 14C) of PM1 and SO2 collected during two heating periods: before (2021–2022) and during the use of HFO (2022–2023) in Vilnius, Lithuania. The results showed that the combustion of HFO increased the concentrations of SO₂ (by 94%) and PM1-related sulfate (by 30%). It also altered the chemical composition of PM1, with sulfate becoming the predominant component (~40%) of WSIIs. The stable sulfur isotope ratios of SO2 (δ34SSO2) and sulfate (δ34SPM1) shifted significantly to more negative values (δ34SSO2 = 0.4‰, δ34SPM1 = −0.3‰) compared to the previous heating period. Anticorrelation between δ¹³C and δ³⁴S values indicated increased contributions of ¹³C-enriched fossil fuel sources (coal and HFO) in EC, although the share of fossil fuels in elemental carbon (EC) slightly decreased during the HFO period. The combustion of HFO affected the concentrations of PM1 chemical components and substantially impacted the isotopic composition and source contributions of sulfate and EC.

Structure Elucidation and Sulfur Species Characterization of Asphaltenes Derived from Heavy Fuel Oil Using APPI (+) and ESI (+) FT-ICR Mass Spectrometry

Structure Elucidation and Sulfur Species Characterization of Asphaltenes Derived from Heavy Fuel Oil Using APPI (+) and ESI (+) FT-ICR Mass Spectrometry

Experimental investigation on enhanced combustion of methanol/heavy fuel oil by droplet puffing at elevated temperatures

To achieve high-efficiency combustion of heavy fuel oil (HFO), this study investigated the combustion characteristics of methanol/HFO droplets with methanol content from 10 to 30% using the suspension method under ambient temperature from 923 to 1023 K. The combustion of methanol/HFO droplets was summarized as a two-phase process consisting of six typical stages, emphasizing liquid phase. Especially, the fluctuation evaporation stage, induced by frequent and intense puffing, was identified as prominent character. Both the ignition delay and lifetime of HFO and methanol/HFO droplets decreased with increasing ambient temperatures. For the methanol/HFO droplet, the ignition delay and droplet lifetime increased with the increasing methanol content. Prominently, compared to HFO, HM10 had the most significant reduction in droplet lifetime and TINL under the same operating conditions, which indicated that the addition of 10% methanol accelerated the combustion process and reduced soot generation. Additionally, the thermos-dynamic characteristics of methanol/HFO droplets were investigated. Puffing was primarily attributed to superheating of methanol and pyrolysis of heavy components in HFO, which resulted in active and passive rupture of bubbles. Similarity and maximum deformation were employed to qualitatively distinguish between them. The obtained findings aimed to develop a promising alternative fuel to reduce emissions and preserve energy.

In-depth characterization of exhaust particles performed on-board a modern cruise ship applying a scrubber

To comply with environmental regulations, ship operators may adopt exhaust after-treatment devices such as scrubbers or selective catalytic reduction (SCR). Beyond gaseous emission control, these technologies impact the exhaust particles emitted from marine engines to the atmosphere. This study characterizes comprehensively the chemical composition and physical properties of exhaust aerosol particles upstream and downstream a hybrid scrubber operating in open loop mode on-board a modern cruise ship. The study considers two engines, one equipped with SCR and both with scrubber, during engine load conditions of 75 % and 40 %, and the influence of marine gas oil (MGO) use in addition to heavy fuel oil (HFO). At least 4 different particle types were observed in the exhaust based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies both upstream and downstream scrubber, and both scrubber and SCR affected the particle number size distribution (PSD). The geometric mean diameter (GMD) of the particles increased over scrubber both due to removal of nucleation mode particles and particle growth in the scrubber. The scrubber effectively decreased particle number (PN) and, also, non-volatile particles, but the effect depended on particle size and no significant decrease was observed in number of particles above 50 nm, typically comprising black carbon (BC) and in the case of HFO combustion, also asymmetrical metal containing particles. In addition to PN, concentrations of PAH compounds were reduced in the scrubber. The results may be further utilized when including the exhaust aerosol characteristics from ships applying scrubbers to emission inventories, as well as climate and air quality models.

Particulate Matter (PM) and Parent, Nitrated and Oxygenated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Emissions of Emulsified Heavy Fuel Oil in Marine Low-Speed Main Engine.

To understand the influences of emulsified fuel on ship exhaust emissions more comprehensively, the emissions of particulate matter (PM), nitrated, oxygenated and parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied on a ship main engine burning emulsified heavy fuel oil (EHFO) and heavy fuel oil (HFO) as a reference. The results demonstrate that EHFO (emulsified heavy fuel oil) exhibits notable abilities to significantly reduce emissions of particulate matter (PM) and low molecular weight PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) in the gas phase, particularly showcasing maximum reductions of 13.99% and 40.5%, respectively. Nevertheless, burning EHFO could increase the emission of high molecular weight PAHs in fine particles and pose a consequent higher carcinogenic risk for individual particles. The total average (gaseous plus particulate) ΣBEQ of EHFO exhausts (41.5 μg/m3) was generally higher than that of HFO exhausts (18.7 μg/m3). Additionally, the combustion of EHFO (extra-heavy fuel oil) can significantly alter the emission quantity, composition, and particle-size distribution of PAH derivatives. These changes may be linked to molecular structures, such as zigzag configurations in C=O bonds. Our findings may favor the comprehensive environmental assessments on the onboard application of EHFO.

Heavy fuel oil pyrolysis: A family of practical kinetic reaction models supported by TGA

The intricate nature and diverse composition of heavy fuel oil (HFO) pose significant challenges in constructing chemical kinetic models for its pyrolysis, gasification, and combustion processes. This study aims to introduce a model incorporating the kinetic impact of thermal decomposition reactions on pyrolysis. A novel methodology is proposed for formulating kinetic reaction models to forecast the mass transfer dynamics during the thermal decomposition of heavy fuel oil, as observed through thermogravimetric analysis. The principal objective is to predict the influence of heat on reaction kinetics, mass transfer phenomena, and the transformation of constituents. This investigation presents three distinct kinetic models: two focused on single-component representations, four structured as lumped mass models and an encompassing multi-pseudo-component model. Each model serves specific purposes tailored to its distinct applications. The lumped mass model accurately predicts the rates of light oil, middle oil, heavy oil, coke, and gas production. Conversely, the eleven pseudo-component model achieves superior precision by adjusting constituent counts based on fuel characteristics. Validation of the most effective lump model and the eleven pseudo-components confirms their reliability and validity in predicting system behavior.

Optimal sizing and location of grid-interfaced PV, PHES, and ultra capacitor systems to replace LFO and HFO based power generations

The impacts of climate change, combined with the depletion of fossil fuel reserves, are forcing human civilizations to reconsider the design of electricity generation systems to gradually and extensively incorporate renewable energies. This study aims to investigate the technical and economic aspects of replacing all heavy fuel oil (HFO) and light fuel oil (LFO) thermal power plants connected to the electricity grid in southern Cameroon. The proposed renewable energy system consists of a solar photovoltaic (PV) field, a pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES) system, and an ultra-capacitor energy storage system. The economic and technical performance of the new renewable energy system was assessed using metrics such as total annualized project cost (TAC), loss of load probability (LOLP), and loss of power supply probability (LPSP). The Multi-Objective Bonobo Optimizer (MOBO) was used to both size the components of the new renewable energy system and choose the best location for the solar PV array. The results achieved using MOBO were superior to those obtained from other known optimization techniques. Using metaheuristics for renewable energy system sizing necessitated the creation of mathematical models of renewable energy system components and techno-economic decision criteria under MATLAB software. Based on the results for the deficit rate (LPSP) of zero, the installation of the photovoltaic field in Bafoussam had the lowest TAC of around 52.78 × 106€ when compared to the results for Yaoundé, Bamenda, Douala, and Limbe. Finally, the project profitability analysis determined that the project is financially viable when the energy produced by the renewable energy systems is sold at an average price of 0.12 €/kWh.

Heavy fuel oil-contaminated soil remediation by individual and bioaugmentation-assisted phytoremediation with Medicago sativa and with cold plasma-treated M. sativa.

Developing an optimal environmentally friendly bioremediation strategy for petroleum products is of high interest. This study investigated heavy fuel oil (HFO)-contaminated soil (4 and 6gkg-1) remediation by individual and combined bioaugmentation-assisted phytoremediation with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and with cold plasma (CP)-treated M. sativa. After 14weeks of remediation, HFO removal efficiency was in the range between 61 and 80% depending on HFO concentration and remediation technique. Natural attenuation had the lowest HFO removal rate. As demonstrated by growth rate and biomass acquisition, M. sativa showed good tolerance to HFO contamination. Cultivation of M. sativa enhanced HFO degradation and soil quality improvement. Bioaugmentation-assisted phytoremediation was up to 18% more efficient in HFO removal through alleviated HFO stress to plants, stimulated plant growth, and biomass acquisition. Cold plasma seed treatment enhanced HFO removal by M. sativa at low HFO contamination and in combination with bioaugmentation it resulted in up to 14% better HFO removal compared to remediation with CP non-treated and non-bioaugmented M. sativa. Our results show that the combination of different remediation techniques is an effective soil rehabilitation strategy to remove HFO and improve soil quality. CP plant seed treatment could be a promising option in soil clean-up and valorization.

Experimental study on reducing BC emissions from a low-speed marine engine by using blended biodiesel and a nitro additive

The aim of this study was to evaluate the emission reduction effect of using waste oil biodiesel/diesel binary fuel and a nitro additive on black carbon (BC) emissions from a large marine engine fueled by heavy fuel oil (HFO). We conducted steady-state conditions tests on a low-speed two-stroke marine engine, where pure distillate diesel (D100), blended biodiesel (blending ratios of 10%, 30%, and 50%), low-sulfur heavy fuel oil (LSFO), high-sulfur heavy fuel oil (HSFO), and a nitro additive were tested, and the BC emission concentrations from the engine were measured under different conditions using a filter-type smoke meter (FSM) and a photoacoustic smoke meter (PAS). The results indicated that BC emissions from the engine were significantly decreased when blended biodiesels were used, with the decline rate increasing as the engine load increased, reaching a maximum reduction of 73% and 94% under 75% and 100% load compared to the use of HFOs, respectively. However, the use of biodiesel slightly increased the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) and NOx emissions. The nitro additive was blended with LSFO and HSFO at a ratio of 1:1200, respectively. It was observed that the introduction of the nitro additive led to a significant reduction in BC emissions compared to the use of pure HFOs. But different from the case of using blended biodiesels, the decline rate of BC decreased with increasing engine load. The BC emissions from LSFO and HSFO were decreased by approximately 10% and 25% under 25% load, respectively, the corresponding BSFC decreased by 5.88% and 3.71%, respectively, while the NOx emissions increased by 11.59% and 34.58%, respectively. In addition, the BC emissions measured by the FSM were on average 38.56% and 43.53% higher than those of the PAS when LSFO and HSFO were used, respectively.

Mixture composition and coal size effect on coal water mixture quality

Coal usage as a primary energy source is targeted to continue to increase and replace petroleum as the main energy source. Further processing is required to achieve the standard fuel characteristics, one of which is through a process called Coal Water Mixture (CWM) by adding water and additives to coal to produce fuel with characteristics like heavy oil. This research was conducted to analyze the best composition and size of the coal for CWM processing using variations in coal composition (20 %; 30 %; 40 %; 50 %; and 60 %) and coal particle size (40, 80, and 120 mesh). The parameters studied for each CWM product are product quantity, inherent moisture, density, pH, and calorific value. The results of the initial analysis show that the CWM product with a coal composition of 50 % has characteristics that most closely resemble Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO). CWM product with a coal composition of 50 % with all three variations of coal size was then tested for its calorific value and the respective values ​​were 3476.3153 cal/g; 4025.5551 cal/g; and 4488.4248 cal/g. The resulting product meets the physical characteristics qualifications, but to substitute HFO as fuel, it is necessary to use high quality coal, namely anthracite with a higher calorific value or upgrade the coal raw materials that will be used for the CWM processing.

An Experimental Study of Heating Heavy Fuel Oil by Hot Air using Helical Fins in a Double-Pipe Heat Exchanger

In present work, the effect of helical fins with height 20 mm and pitch 100 mm on the performance of the double pipe heat exchange investigated experimentally. The heat exchanger had been chosen as a heat recovery device in bricks factory to recover heat from exhaust gases to preheat the heavy fuel oil. Air had been chosen as a hot gas instead of furnace exhaust gases because of the similar thermal properties and it flows in the inner pipe with different velocity (20, 27, and 34) m/s and inlet temperature (200, 225) °C while, heavy fuel oil enters shell side with counter flow at mass flow rates (0.06, 0.08, and 0.1) kg/s and constant inlet temperature of 40 °C. Both of pipes and helical fins are made from stainless steel. The experimental results show that increasing Reynolds number from 139139 to 333934 led to increase heat transfer rate, oil outlet temperature, overall heat transfer coefficient and effectiveness of heat exchanger with (8%, 4%, 5% and 5%) respectively while, increasing oil mass flow rate from (0.06 to 0.1) kg/s cause decreasing oil outlet temperature and effectiveness of with (10% ,14%) respectively. The results shown the double pipe heat exchanger with helical fins produce heat transfer rate and oil outlet temperature higher than smooth double pipe heat with average 15% and 8.6%, as well as increasing Nusselt number, Overall heat transfer coefficient and effectiveness of heat exchanger with average 26%,15% and 13% respectively. The results clear that, for 225°C exhaust air and velocity 27 m/s, the application of double pipe with helical fins by preheat heavy fuel oil could reduce the viscosity and reduce electric power required and save 1.69 MW annually for one factory.

Catalytic upgrading of the heavy fraction of waste coffee grounds pyrolysis bio-oil using supercritical ethanol as a hydrogen source to produce marine biofuel

Biomass pyrolysis oil has the potential to serve as a sustainable fuel in the maritime sector, either through the production of marine biofuel or as fuel blends. However, the production of biofuels with high energy value and low oxygen content during the upgrading process calls for a more in-depth understanding. Herein, the heavy fraction of bio-oil was upgraded in supercritical ethanol in order to produce a biofuel which can be used as an alternative for heavy fuel oil (HFO). The impact of distinct operational factors such as temperature, holding time, and amount of catalyst was experimentally evaluated on the upgrading process. Using an MgNiMo/SAPO-11 catalyst, the supercritical ethanol upgrading of CG-BO heavy fraction at 325 °C and 4 h reaction time yielded a biofuel product with a 63.2 % yield, 0.07O/C ratio and high heating values over 39 MJ/kg. The prevailing fractions observed in the upgraded bio-oil primarily encompassed esters and hydrocarbons.

Switching Sudan’s Power Generation Units’ Fuel to Natural Gas Enhances the Efficiency, Durability and Lower the Cost

Sudan ranks among the top 20 Sub-Saharan countries facing electricity shortages, affecting approximately 20 million people as of 2020. Political and economic instability led to an increase in the electricity deficit, reaching over 62% in 2021, an 8% rise from 2019. Thermal power stations in Sudan, which contribute 37% of the electricity supply, encounter operational, maintenance, and fuel procurement challenges. They rely on various fuels, including liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), light diesel oil (LDO), and heavy fuel oil (HFO), with fuel procurement difficulties amid declining oil production. This study explores the potential of using natural gas instead of the conventional crude oil-based fuels listed above. Natural gas is known for its cost-effectiveness and lower greenhouse gas emissions, offering a cleaner alternative. The study involves the calculation of total gas volumes, flared gas, and operational costs for diesel and natural gas, with an evaluation of their compatibility with the operational requirements of thermal power generation units. The study reveals that upgrading existing thermal stations to a combined cycle system and transitioning to natural gas can reduce costs by 52% compared to diesel operations. The study also demonstrates that the annual gas requirement for operations is approximately 245 billion cubic feet, which is higher than the local production, indicating the need for importing liquified natural gas (LNG).