By Ugboaja, Stanley
As part of concerted efforts to address the incessant cases of pipeline vandalization in the country, Prof. Oluwafemi Ayodeji Olugboji of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Infrastructure, Process and Engineering Technology, Federal University of Technology, Minna has called for the use of reverse engineering techniques in the oil and gas and water resources sectors.
The scholar stated this when he delivered the 95th Inaugural Lecture of the University titled: Problems to Solutions or Solutions to Problems: Reverse Engineering in a Dynamic World on Thursday, November 25, 2021 at the University Auditorium, Main Campus.
Prof. Olugboji stated that the use of reverse engineering techniques would accelerate early detection of damaged pipeline location, causes and solutions, adding that there is a need to set up reliable mechanisms to sustain constant operation and to prevent the loss of petroleum products.
“This medium of transportation is usually attributed to very sensitive products such as crude oil, natural gas and industrial chemicals, in which an unintended pause in their operation result in the loss of millions of dollars.
The design and application of pipeline detectors is made around the properties of the product that is being transported and expected nature of damage to the system”, the University don disclosed.
He revealed that there are different techniques used to detect and locate pipeline damage, ranging from simple visual inspection to complicated satellite based hyper-spectral imaging, saying that each has its own advantages and impediments.
Prof. Olugboji described reverse engineering as a process in which software, machines, aircraft, architectural structures and other products are deconstructed to extract design information from them. He noted that the main aim of reverse engineering is to infer, analyse and understand through interplay, the functional and regulatory mechanisms of various systems.
The Inaugural Lecturer called for joint investigation and application of the proposed approach with relevant government agencies towards solving the problems of pipeline vandalisation and wastage of water due to leakages to water pipelines in the country.
Some of Prof. Olugboji’s contribution to knowledge, as he disclosed, include the design, construction and testing of a poultry feed pellet machine, petroleum pipeline monitoring using an internet of things platforms, problems of calculating time delay between pulse arrivals, the development of a steam powered incubator with solar supported system, design and fabrication of rice de-stoning machine among others.
Speaking at the well-attended event, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdullahi Bala, fsssn, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Faruk Adamu Kuta commended Prof. Olugboji for delivering his inaugural lecture. He thanked all the invited guests for attending the lecture and wished them safe trip back to their various destinations.
Photo Credit: Elijah Yisa