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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Development of new gas odorants

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5602878· OSTI ID:5602878

The main objective of the program was the development of new odorants for natural gas which would be more resistant to adsorption by soils and to pipeline fading. It was understood that any new odorant developed should exhibit warning characteristics similar to or better than those currently used. While last year's work was concerned primarily with adsorption, this year's effort was directed toward the oxidation and pipeline fading of odorants. A test was developed which simulated pipeline fading and allowed the relative stability of existing and candidate odorants, to be measured. Seven odorants (six of which were tertiary mercaptans) were evaluated for stability, using the simulated pipeline fading test. Dimethyl sulfide, tetrahydrothiophene, and the butyl mercaptan isomers were also examined. These compounds in order of decreasing pipeline stability are: dimethyl sulfide, tetrahydrothiophene, 3-methyl-3-pentanethiol, 2,3-dimethyl-2-butanethiol, 2,2-dimethyl-3-butanethiol, 2-methyl-2-pentanethiol, 2-methyl-2-butanethiol, tertiary butyl mercaptan, 1-methylcyclopentanethiol, 1-methylcyclobutanethiol, isobutyl mercaptan, 2-butyl mercaptan, and n-butyl mercaptan.

Research Organization:
Little (Arthur D.), Inc., Cambridge, MA (USA)
OSTI ID:
5602878
Report Number(s):
GRI-78/0019
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English