In light of developing a nascent gas industry, present multiple challenges in restructuring, regulations and meeting infrastructure investments requirements. To identify an appropriate industry structure and provide suitable regulatory framework to attract adequate infrastructure investments are the requirement to maintain a viable nascent gas industry. The purpose of the study is to examine the conditions required for developing a viable nascent gas industry in Ghana. The study develops an analytical framework by combining the Structure-Conduct-Performance paradigm and the Transaction Cost Economics theory with stakeholder consultation in an integrated cash flow model, which identified inappropriate industry structure, ineffective regulation and high risk as challenges in the gas industry in Ghana. The current gas industry structure and regulatory framework in Ghana is identified as state control monopoly. To strengthen the analysis of the study alternative gas industry structural models were reviewed. The Single Buyer Model (SBM) is suggested as an initial stage structure for Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to commercialize upstream natural gas resources and ease transactions cost. However, the SBM is constrained by the Volta River Authority (VRA) and Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) inefficiencies. The Multiple Buyer Model (MBM) is considered as a transitional structure to solve the existing hold-up and lock-in inefficiencies of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation-Ghana National Gas Company-Volta River Authority (GNPC-GNGC-VRA) firm structure. Enforcing open access regulations to essential infrastructure is required in the long run. Developing an integrated gas-to-power project in Ghana is a viable business. Nevertheless, non-associated gas production from the Sankofa Gas Project is risky and requires higher gas prices and alternative downstream consumers to be viable. The Gas Processing Plant and transmission pipeline tariffs are inappropriately set and requires regulations. Providing effective regulations and governance arrangements by establishing an independent regulator through a gas sector law are important in protecting the interest of various stakeholders in the nascent gas industry in Ghana.

In this thesis, one methodology for natural gas storage valuation is developed and two methodologies are improved. Then all of the three methodologies are applied to a storage contract. The first methodology is called "intrinsic rolling with spot and forward", which takes both the spot and forward prices into account in the valuation. This method is based on the trading strategy by which a trader locks the spot and forward positions by solving an optimization problem based on the market information on the first day. In the following days, the trader can obtain added value by adjusting the positions based on new market information. The storage value is the sum of the first day's value and the added values in the following days. The problem can be expressed by a Bellman equation and solved recursively. A crucial issue in the implementation is how to compute the expected value in the next period conditioned on the information in current period. One way to compute the expected value is Monte Carlo simulation with ordinary least square regression. However, if all of the state variables, spot, and forward prices are incorporated in the regression there are too many terms, and the regression becomes uncontrollable. To solve this issue, three risk factors are chosen by performing principle component analysis. Dimension of the regression is greatly reduced by only incorporating the three risk factors. Both the second methodology and the third methodology only consider the spot price in the valuation. The second methodology uses Monte Carlo simulation with ordinary least square regression, which is based on the work of Boogert and Jong (2006). The third methodology uses stochastic dual dynamic programming, which is based on the work of Bringedal (2003). However, both methodologies are improved to incorporate bid and ask prices. Price models are crucial for the valuation. Forward prices of each month are assumed to follow geometric Brownian motions. Future spot price is also assumed to follow a geometric Brownian motion but for a specific month its expectation is set to the corresponding forward price on the valuation date. Since the simulation of spot and forward prices is separated from the storage optimization, alternative spot and forward models can be used when necessary. The results show that the value of the storage contract estimated by the first methodology is close to the market value and the value estimated by the Financial Engineering Associates (FEA) provided function. A much higher value is obtained when only spot price is considered, since the high volatility of the spot curve makes frequent position change profitable. However in the reality traders adjust their positions less frequently.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2003. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains x, 61 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 59-61).

This master thesis project aims to investigate the circumstances of boil-off for heavy vehicle transports, using LNG as fuel, and suggest possible ways of handling these gases otherwise released into the atmosphere. LNG, Liquefied Natural Gas, is when natural gas is cooled below its vaporisation point, turning it into liquid phase which is a much more dense way of storing and transporting the fuel. Trucks running on LNG store their fuel in super insulated tanks, but some heat are transferred to the fuel anyway, causing it to vaporise at a steady rate. During driving of these trucks, this vaporised gas is consumed and the pressure are kept at a certain level of 10 bar. Once the truck is turned off, consumption stops and the pressure starts to increase. After a period of standstill, normally several days, the pressure within the tank has increased to 16 bar where a valve opens to release gas from the tank. This is a safety feature, causing the pressure not to increase further creating hazards. While natural gas, mostly containing methane, is released, fuel is lost and an environmentally unfriendly substance is let out into the atmosphere. This should be avoided, to improve the environmental aspects of using LNG as a fuel for trucks, which most likely will be regulated by laws yet to come. Since the release of boil-off gases rarely should happen during the regular use of these trucks, but a system handling these gases should work at any time and place, a cheap and lightweight unit are to be fitted to these trucks. Equipment already on the truck should be used as much as possible, keeping additional costs and weight low. The only practical way of storing this gas, which is the most resource efficient way of handling these boil-off gases, is to re-liquefy it and transferring it back to the usual LNG tank on the vehicle. The second best option is to consume the gas, making it less environmentally unfriendly. While consuming the gas, as much as possible of its energy should be utilised as electricity and heat. Preferably, electricity should be produced as much as possible, charging the batteries on the truck, decreasing the fuel consumption while running and increasing the lifespan of the batteries. The most efficient way of managing the heat generated is to distribute it to the coolant system on the truck, providing it to the engine and several other components. Distributing the energy is also a matter of safety, as very hot areas otherwise might cause risks of fire. The most simple concept, that is easiest to implement in the near future, is to use a burner similar to the auxiliary diesel heaters fitted to some trucks today. This consumes fuel, generating heat to the coolant system. An additional cooler is needed, to cool of excess heat from the system keeping the temperatures to a certain level. Using this system for an extensive period of time needs an external power supply, since no electricity is generated from consuming the gas. Other technologies that could be used in the future, also generating electricity, is thermoelectric generators and solid oxide fuel cells. These are technologies now being further developed and adapted to the industry of vehicles. These technologies are especially interesting when they are implemented to these trucks for use within other systems as well, for instance utilisation of the heat within exhaust gases. A small scale re-liquefaction unit mounted to the truck is however seen as the most resource efficient solution, making it possible to keep using the gas for it intended purpose of propelling the trucks forward. This technology has to be made more compact, adapting it to the use on a truck.

Despite intrinsically high separation performance, conventional polymeric membranes suffer from CO₂ induced plasticization, which reduces CO₂/CH₄ separation efficiency significantly. Covalent ester-crosslinking can improve the plasticization resistance by controlling the segmental chain mobility in the polymer; however, only relatively thick selective skin layers and lower separation productivity have been reported to date. On the other hand, the high cost of crosslinkable polymers makes the approach challenging, especially for large-scale gas separations which require large membrane areas with high feed pressures. Dual-layer hollow fiber spinning can be used to reduce the cost of membrane production by integrating a low-cost supporting core polymer with the expensive crosslinkable sheath polymer. However, the complexity of interfacial interaction between the sheath/core layers and subsequent crosslinking required can delaminate the sheath/core layers and collapse the core layer polymer. This can reduce mechanical strength and the separation productivity significantly. This work aimed to develop thin-skinned high-performing ester-crosslinked hollow fiber membranes with improved CO₂ plasticization resistance. The skin layer thickness of hollow fibers was first optimized by simultaneous optimization of the polymer dope and spinning process variables. Moreover, this study also addresses the solutions of challenging in transitioning the monolithic hollow fiber to composite hollow fiber format. The ester-crosslinked hollow fibers were subjected to high feed pressures and high-level contaminants to probe their CO₂ plasticization and hydrocarbon antiplasticization resistance, respectively. The resultant ester-crosslinked monolithic hollow fibers show significantly reduced skin layer thickness and improved separation productivity under extremely challenging operation conditions. They also demonstrate strong stability under high feed pressures and reversibility after contaminant exposure. Moreover, this study presents a newly discovered core layer material, Torlon®, which demonstrates excellent compatibility with the crosslinkable polymer and superior thermal stability during crosslinking without sheath/core layer delamination or collapse. The characterization under aggressive feed conditions clearly suggests that ester-crosslinked composite hollow fibers can achieve high separation performance and reduce membrane cost simultaneously. This provides a significant advance in state of the art for natural gas separations under realistic operation environments

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wyoming, 2005. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Nov. 1, 2007). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Adelaide, National Centre for Petroleum Geology & Geophysics (NCPGG) /Dept. of Geology & Geophysics, 1993. / At head of title: "NERDDC/SENRAC Research Project." Three folded maps in pocket. Two microfiches in pocket. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 155-187).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008. / Committee Chair: Dr. Boris Mizaikoff; Committee Member: Dr. Andrew Lyon; Committee Member: Dr. Donald R. Webster; Committee Member: Dr. Facundo M. Fernandez; Committee Member: Dr. Joseph Montoya. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

Thesis--Universität zu Köln. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 158-163).