Options for small-scale sulfur recovery

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · SPE Production and Facilities

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/35609-PA· OSTI ID:549431

Royan, T ^[1]; Wichert, E ^[2]

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1. Tartan Engineering Corp. Ltd. (Canada)
2. Gascan Resources Ltd., Calgary, Alberta (Canada)

With the issuance by the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board and Alberta Environment of their report entitled Sulphur Recovery Guidelines for Sour Gas Plants in Alberta in August of 1988, the requirement in Alberta to recover sulfur was broadened to a sulfur content of 1 ton/D or greater in the inlet gas to a new sour-gas treating plant. This paper reviews the processes in use for recovering sulfur from sour-natural-gas streams that have a total sulfur content of 5 ton/D or less. These processes are the modified Claus process, the recycle Selectox process, and the reduction/oxidation processes LO-CAT and SulFerox. While the modified Claus process is used in large sulfur-recovery plants, the other processes may be more economical for sulfur recovery on a small scale. A description of the sour-gas treating and sulfur-recovery processes is given, and a comparison of estimated capital and operating costs for typical sour-gas streams is provided. All of the above processes are in operation in North America. Operating experiences with these processes in Alberta are discussed. The quality of the end-product sulfur varies among these processes, and the options for sulfur disposal are reviewed.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 549431
• Journal Information: SPE Production and Facilities, Journal Name: SPE Production and Facilities Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 12; ISSN 1064-668X; ISSN SPRFEZ
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
ALBERTA
CONCENTRATION RATIO
DESULFURIZATION
ECONOMICS
MATERIALS RECOVERY
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS PROCESSING PLANTS
SULFUR
WASTE DISPOSAL