SUHAR: Students from Omama bint Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib School from Al Batinah north, Basmala al Saidiya and Habiba Mohammed Abbas, secured the top place in the Sultanate of Oman in the 'Scientific Innovations Competition' in the field of science and mathematics for their innovation entitled 'Reducing the viscosity of crude oil using environmental raw materials'.
The project, aimed at reducing crude oil viscosity through the utilisation of environmentally friendly materials, was supervised by Hajar Al Shaheya and focuses on revolutionising the transportation of crude oil through pipelines.
By incorporating local environmental waste, palm fibers and date palm kernels, the project aimed to enhance oil flow while minimising environmental pollution. Its objectives were multi-fold, encompassing a reduction in the viscosity of heavy oil in pipelines, recycling local environmental waste, minimising energy consumption in pumping, and decreasing the use of chemical additives in crude oil transportation pipelines.
Supported by various governmental and private institutions, the project's success was substantiated through rigorous analysis at OQ Laboratories, measuring viscosity and essential chemical properties of the crude oil.
Furthermore, collaboration with the University of Nizwa involved electron microscopy to study palm fibers, enabling a deeper understanding of surface area measurements.
The students were provided with essential tools and a conducive environment within the school's labouratory to conduct experiments. Additionally, strong community support, from the Parents Council, ensured a steady supply of palm fibers and date palm kernels.
Practical applications of the project extended to both professional and daily life scenarios. In industries, the combination of local environmental waste with crude oil mechanically improved its flow properties, thereby reducing viscosity and subsequently decreasing energy consumption during pumping a significant achievement of the project.
Moreover, in daily life, the project’s focus on reusing local environmental waste countered the prevalent practice of burning such materials, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Through recycling palm fibers and date palm kernels into micrometre units, the project aligns with Oman’s Zero Carbon Vision 2050, aiming to substantially reduce environmental gas emissions.
In an interview, the students expressed profound gratitude, emphasising the moment of win as unique feeling. "Participation in such competitions enrich our knowledge and widen our scientific skills where we enjoyed working with the environment and with the support from different teams in the community believing in the scope of scientific research,“ said one of the students.
Stundents credited the continuous support of the school's administration, their guiding teacher, and their families for embracing the idea of participating in the competition and dedicated their win to the entire school community.
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