‭Memorandum‬

‭ o: Naqaa Abbas‬
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‭From Team‬‭4‬‭<‬‭Lujane Ahmed, Samia Afrin, Noor Al-Thani,‬‭Shahd Darwish, Maria Al-Rabbat‬‭>‬
‭Subject: Potential Engineering Problems for Project 1‬
‭Date: October 16, 2023‬

‭ his memo outlines our team's interest in real-world engineering problems. We have identified four key‬
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‭potential issues for investigation: sea-level rise in Qatar, hydrogen supply chain inefficiency, rising PM2.5‬
‭air pollutant concentration, and Qatar's groundwater challenges.‬

‭ ption A: Qatar’s Rise in Sea Levels‬

O
‭The vulnerability of Qatar's infrastructure, predominantly located in low-lying coastal areas, poses a‬
‭significant risk to the nation's economic and security stability. Key economic assets, such as vital oil and‬
‭gas facilities, are concentrated in these regions. Potential flooding caused by rising sea levels due to‬
‭climate change threatens these critical infrastructures and results in severe economic losses, given that‬
‭Qatar's economic backbone relies heavily on its oil and gas industry. Furthermore, a substantial portion of‬
‭the population resides in these coastal areas, exposing them and their homes to the imminent threats‬
‭associated with sea-level rise.‬

‭ ption B: Inefficiency in Hydrogen Supply Chain‬

O
‭In our pursuit of cleaner energy options, LNG offers substantial emission reductions compared to coal and‬
‭oil, with CO‬‭2‬ ‭emissions being 40% to 20% lower. However,‬‭it only serves as a transitional solution. [2] In‬
‭an attempt to achieve zero carbon emissions, the focus turns to sustainable energy sources, like hydrogen‬
‭supply chains, particularly "blue hydrogen", which is extracted using cleaner, sustainable methods. [3]‬
‭However, challenges persist with hydrogen production methods. Currently, hydrogen production methods,‬
‭limited to steam-methane reforming, still result in CO2 emissions. Hydrolysis, the splitting of water‬
‭molecules forming H2, while clean in theory, faces efficiency limitations.‬

‭ ption C: Rise in PM2.5 Concentration‬

O
‭With the rise in industrialization and urbanization, Qatar has witnessed a substantial increase in air‬
‭pollutants. PM2.5, fine particles with a 2.5 µm diameter, originate from sources like combustion,‬
‭construction, road dust, and manufacturing. According to recent findings, Qatar exhibits a PM2.5‬
‭concentration of 59.3 µg/m‬‭3‭,‬ 12 times the WHO annual‬‭air quality guideline value. [1] Due to their size,‬
‭PM2.5 particles persist in the air, posing health risks such as retaining carcinogenic properties, bronchitis,‬
‭and reduced lung function. From an environmental perspective, the prevalence of PM2.5, such as nitrogen‬
‭oxides and sulfur dioxide, contributes to the formation of acid rain, endangering ecosystems.‬

‭ ption D: Qatar’s Groundwater Challenges‬

O
‭Qatar's groundwater has not been restored to the same amount as it has been removed. According to‬
‭recent findings, Qatar was classified as the most water-stressed country in the world in 2019. [4] As fresh‬
‭water is extracted, seawater is drawn in from below to fill the void, resulting in a gradual decline in the‬
‭quality of the groundwater over time. Demand for desalinated water is predicted to rise in Qatar as‬
‭industrial and agricultural operations expand. This is expected to lead to water scarcity and a considerable‬
‭need for additional water sources. TSE was one possible answer to this problem; however, TSE is utilized‬
‭for cultivating fodder intended as animal feed rather than for human consumption.‬
 ‭Decision Matrix‬

‭ uman‬
H ‭Social Impact‬ ‭Economic Impact‬ ‭Environmental‬ ‭Total‬
‭Benefit‬ ‭Impact‬

‭Qatar’s Rise in Sea‬ ‭14‬ ‭12‬ ‭17‬ ‭20‬ ‭63‬

‭Levels‬

‭Inefficiency in‬ ‭14‬ ‭11‬ ‭22‬ ‭23‬ ‭71‬

‭Hydrogen Supply Chain‬

‭ ise in PM2.5‬
R ‭20‬ ‭17‬ ‭11‬ ‭16‬ ‭64‬
‭Concentration‬

‭Qatar’s Groundwater‬ ‭21‬ ‭16‬ ‭15‬ ‭14‬ ‭66‬

‭Challenges‬

‭ roblems were rated on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 signifies the highest level of importance and 1 is the least.‬
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‭The cumulative ratings from the team were entered into the cells of the decision matrix.‬

‭Human Benefit‬‭: measures direct improvement in the‬‭well-being of individuals due to addressing the problem.‬

‭Social Impact:‬‭evaluates how confronting the problem‬‭positively impacts and transforms the social fabric.‬

‭Economic Impact:‬‭investigates the impact of the problem‬‭on Qatar's economic stability and development.‬

‭ nvironmental Impact:‬‭assesses the positive effects‬‭of addressing the problem on the surrounding ecosystem‬
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‭and natural resources.‬

‭Works Cited:‬
[‭ 1]Doha Air Quality Index (AQI) and Qatar Air Pollution | IQAir. (2023, October 14). Iqair.com.‬
‭https://www.iqair.com/qatar/baladiyat-ad-dawhah/doha‬

‌[‭ 2]Energy, J. (2022b, May 12). Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG): What It Is and Why We Use It. Just Energy.‬
‭https://justenergy.com/blog/liquefied-natural-gas-lng-what-and-why/#:~:text=Natural%20gas%20has%2040‬
‭%25%20less‬

[‭ 3]Qatar – Hydrogen Supply Chain Opportunity in the Existing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Economy.‬
‭International Trade Administration | Trade.gov.‬
h‭ ttps://www.trade.gov/market-intelligence/qatar-hydrogen-supply-chain-opportunity-existing-liquefied-natural-gas-lng#:~‬
‭:text=Gas%20(LNG)%20Economy-,Qatar%20%E2%80%93%20Hydrogen%20Supply%20Chain%20Opportunity%20in%‬
‭20the%20Existing%20Liquefied%20Natural,reducing%20the%20LNG%20production%20cost.‬

[‭ 4]World Water Day: Qatar’s groundwater challenges. (2022, March 22).‬

‭https://www.hbku.edu.qa/en/news/QEERI-SUST-WWDQGC#:~:text=Since%20the%201970s%2C%20Qatar's‬
‭%20groundwater,underground%20to%20fill%20the%20gap.‬