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Connecting the global sour gas community

Summary

MESPON 2018, the 5th Annual Forum, took place October 14-17 at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche, Abu Dhabi. Organised by UniverSUL Consulting and supported by ADNOC, this year the programme was expanded to include a new innovation/technology day.

Abstract

The Annual Middle East Sour Plant Operations Network Forum (MESPON) has become one of the industry’s premier events for knowledge exchange and networking, originally focused primarily on sulphur recovery, but now representing all groups along the sour gas value chain. MESPON’s vision is to address every­thing from sour gas drilling, to production, to sweetening, to sulphur recovery and sulphur handling. Keywords: MESPON 2018, UniverSUL Consulting, ADNOC, innovations, Middle East Sour Plant Operations Network, remelter, black powder, analyser, Ametek, sulphur deposition, Arkema, ASRL, corrosion, Industrial Solutions, sulphur contact corrosion, tubesheet protection, Jacobs Comprimo, COOL Separations, eutectic freeze crystallisation, Khalifa University, Solar Sulphur Cycle, solar power, CECAS, Neo Monitors, nVent, Topside Solutions, artificial intelligence, AI, sulphur transport, pipeline, Prosernat, Smartsulf DO, direct oxidation catalyst, Schlumberger, coiled tubing, Shell Global Solutions, column internals, Shell Turbo Trays, Sulphur Experts, Transcend Solutions, separator technologies, iKnow-Who, disruptive innovation, Li-S battery.

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Sulphur tank heating solution combats corrosion problems

Summary

B. Forbes and D.J. Cipriano of Controls Southeast Inc. (CSI) discuss a case study illustrating corrosion rates of an externally-heated sulphur storage tank. The design approach for heating the sulphur storage tank and the inspection results confirming its operation are reviewed. An internal inspection after nine years of operation indicated that the remaining life of the tank shell and roof is expected to exceed 70 years.

Abstract

Challenges of sulphur storage tanks There are several unique challenges associated with storing sulphur in field-erected tanks. The most significant challenges are those related to safety and those related to maintenance. Over the last decade, sulphur tank safety concerns have become more widely considered with more publications describing the concerns. The primary safety concerns are as follows: Keywords: sulphur storage tank, tank repair, sulphur tank, heating system, corrosion, H2S accumulation, vapour space, pyrophoric material, iron sulphide, tank corrosion, safety, ControTrace, CSI, Controls SouthEast Inc., tank shell, tank roof, tank floor, epoxy coating, corrosion mechanism

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Modern technologies for quality acid

Summary

Chemetics and NORAM discuss various strategies, equipment and processes that deal with cleaning the SO2 gas feed to sulphuric acid plants, as well as product acid treatment to remove specific impurities.

Abstract

Modern industrial production of sulphuric acid is based on the well-known contact process which involves the catalytic oxidation of sulphur dioxide (SO2) to sulphur trioxide (SO3) using a vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) based catalyst. Keywords: Chemetics, NORAM, equipment, gas cleaning, sulphuric acid plant, acid product quality, impurities, acid treatment, metallurgical offgas, smelter, venturi scrubber, wet gas condenser, WGC, NOx, SCR DeNOx, SO2 stripping, acid strainer, alloy tower.

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SRU marginal investment for tangible benefits

Summary

Recent SRU revamp projects from Fluor, RATE, Wood and Jacobs demonstrate that marginal investment for the upgrade, modernisation or revamp of sulphur recovery units can result in significant benefits.

Abstract

In today’s competitive oil and gas market, many refiners are proceeding to revamp their facilities to process heavier, sour crude oil feedstocks and meet continuously tightening environmental regulations for transportation fuels. This leads to increased use of hydroprocessing to recover more sulphur in the form of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) from the crude oil and ultimately higher processing loads to the downstream sulphur recovery unit (SRU). Keywords: SRU, sulphur recovery unit, revamp project, revamping, Fluor, RATE, Jacobs, Wood, upgrade, modernisation, revamp, sulphur recovery, COPE II, oxygen enrichment, tail gas treating, additional capacity, SWS, ammonia stripping, H2S stripping, ammonia recovery, refinery modernisation, acid gas burner, electric reheater, hot gas bypass, SUPERCLAUS, SUPERCLAUS/Scrubber, caustic scrubber.

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The future of Canadian sulphur production

Summary

Although Canada is no longer the largest sulphur exporter in the world, it is still among the largest. But declining recovery from sour gas has not been matched by increases from sour gas processing, while Canadian producers face stiff competition from Middle Eastern sulphur producers like Adnoc.

Abstract

Canada was the largest sulphur exporter in the world from the early 1970s until just a couple of years ago. During its heyday Canadian exports represented 40% of all traded sulphur, and the Canadian sulphur industry came to define the world of sulphur, from its sour gas operations, recovery and forming technologies to the SUDIC standards which still predominate and the research effort provided by Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd. Keywords: SOUR, OIL, SANDS, TAR, BITUMEN, MINING, MINES, MINED, SITU, REFINERY, UPGRADE, UPGRADER, DILBIT, SYNCRUDE, PIPELINE, FORMING, VANCOUVER, SUPPLY, DEMAND, EXPORT, EXPORTS, ALBERTA

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Sulphur surplus continues – for now

Summary

Oversupply in the sulphur market is likely to continue for the next few years, but in the longer term, large new phosphate capacity additions may run ahead of new sulphur capacity.

Abstract

World production of elemental sulphur reached 64 million tonnes in 2017. Virtually all of this comes from recovered sulphur from refineries and sour gas plants, with mined sulphur only 1% of production from the couple of remaining facilities. Additions to sulphur capacity are coming from increased demand both for refined products and natural gas, as well as tighter sulphur regulations on fuels that are leading refiners to invest in additional sulphur recovery capacity. Keywords: SOUR, OIL, GAS, SHALE, CHINA, KAZAKHSTAN, TURKMENISTAN, INDIA, MOROCCO, OCP, ADNOC, ABU DHABI, UAE, PHOSPHATE, LEACH, LEACHING, SMELTER, SUPPLY, DEMAND, TRADE, OUTLOOK

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