New hydrogen sulphide removal process

Merichem Technologies has announced successful results from its ECOTREAT® field trial in the Permian Basin, demonstrating that its new hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) removal process achieved sustained removal of > 99% of hydrogen sulphide gas without producing solid waste products.

The new core technology uses an aqueous phase proprietary catalytic process that converts H₂S into thiosulphate. By keeping the reaction entirely in solution, the process eliminates the solid waste characteristic of liquid redox or solid media systems. The approach also prevents plugging and downstream corrosion issues often encountered with triazine treatment, according to Merichem. The only required feed reagent is potash added to feed water or produced water). The aqueous effluent can be discharged into saltwater disposal systems or sent downhole with unneeded produced water. In simplified configurations, the system can treat H₂S directly in produced water, reducing hazards associated with produced water handling.