International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR) ISSN: 2321-0869 (O) 2454-4698 (P), Volume-10, Issue-5, May 2020 8 www.erpublication.org Abstract— As the clamor for cleaner energy sources continues, it becomes imperative to increase the per capita consumption rate of LPG, especially in developing countries like Nigeria, where the dependency on fuelwood for cooking and heating purposes, is very high. To achieve this, efforts must be made to increase the availability of the commodity while reducing its cost. Several factors are responsible for the low per capita consumption rate of LPG in Nigeria, among which are the inadequate distribution network, which not only makes the product unavailable but also expensive when available. This study focused on optimizing the LPG distribution network in fourteen major cities across Nigeria to reduce the overall landing interstate cost of the commodity. This was achieved by the application of an optimization program on existing and two (2) new proposed distribution outlets to minimize the trucking cost using the volume of LPG, distance and time between bulk terminals and various city locations across the country, as variables. The results of the model showed that the LPG loading and distribution from the proposed outlets reduced the cost of trucking of LPG by an average of 25%. This is expected to reduce the landing cost of LPG further and consequently lead to an increase in the per capita consumption of LPG in the country. Index Terms— Clean energy, LPG distribution, optimization, trucking cost. I. INTRODUCTION Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a generic term used to describe a mixture of hydrocarbons having three or four carbon atoms. LPG is also known as LP-gas or cylinder gas. It is one of the cleanest fossil fuels available to domestic, commercial, and industrial users. LPG is a colorless, highly flammable, and odorless gas. It is non-toxic but, if inhaled in considerable quantities over a prolonged period, can have an anesthetic effect. Its physical properties depend on its composition. LPG has a typical specific calorific value of 46.1 MJ/kg. Relative density varies between 0.50-0.52 for propane and 0.56-0.59 for butane. Liquefied petroleum gases are quite safe in comparison with other fuels. For instance, Propane has a high ignition temperature of about 850-950 o F (450-510 o C), compared to about 495 o F (257 o C) for gasoline [1], making it less likely to ignite spontaneously. LPG, as marketed in most countries rarely, consists of pure propane or butane. It is mostly a mixture of liquefiable saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons in the C 3 - C 4 boiling range. The actual gas mixture varies depending on whether Ihemtuge, Tochukwu Uzoma, Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, +234-8032625505. Aimikhe, Victor Joseph, Department of Petroleum and Gas Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, +234-8169558835. the LPG is produced from refinery gases or associated gas, i.e., gas produced with crude oil or coming from a gas field. However, LPG is sold commercially to domestic and industrial customers in three (3) grades [2], namely:  LPG - butane/commercial butane consisting mainly of n-butane, isobutane, and the butylenes.  LPG - propane/commercial propane consisting mainly of propane and propylene. In colder countries such as Norway and Sweden, the LPG market is primarily confined to propane.  LPG mixture consisting of a variable amount of all C 3 / C 4 hydrocarbons. A. LPG Consumption LPG consumption in households is increasing throughout the world, especially in the Asia Pacific region, due to the region's vast and widespread population base. Increasing gas imports and rising demand for cleaner fuels, mainly from large emerging economies such as India and China, are expected to fuel global gas consumption soon. Another critical factor for LPG consumption growth is the adverse environmental effect of using biomass and kerosene. Studies have shown that black carbon, which is mostly “soot,” formed in the combustion of wood and fuel such as diesel and kerosene, is the second most important contributor to global climate change [3]. Several other studies have shown that inefficient and traditional utilization of biomass fuel and kerosene have severe health implications such as the risk of low birth weight and pulmonary tuberculosis, productivity, and the environment. According to a report by the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology [4], the risk associated with air pollution from solid fuels accounts for 3 percent of global losses of health risk. Statistically, about 1.3 million people, mostly women, and children die prematurely every year from exposure to indoor air pollution from biomass. As a result of the human and environmental consequences of using fuelwood and kerosene for domestic applications, there has been a significant increase in LPG demand, mainly in the domestic and commercial sectors, due to the switching of local consumers from biomass to LPG, mostly in India, Indonesia and other developing countries like Nigeria. In Nigeria, for instance, LPG consumption has witnessed a steady growth from 130,000 metric tons in the year 2011, 145,000 metric tons in 2012, 250,000 metric tons in 2013, 500,000 metric tons in 2016, and expected to rise to 2,000,000 metric tons in the coming years [5]. Optimization of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Distribution in Nigeria Ihemtuge, T.U and Aimikhe, V.J