Sulphur recovery units in petroleum refineries and natural gas processing plants utilise incineration as a final treatment step for tail gas, ensuring that residual sulphur compounds are converted to less harmful emissions. Elmo Nasato of Nasato Consulting Ltd compares the two sulphur plant incinerator options – thermal incineration and catalytic incineration – including key considerations for policymakers, businesses, and environmental advocates.
The 8th SulGas® Mumbai sulphur recovery and gas treating conference and exhibition, organised by Three Ten Initiative Technologies LLP, took place on 5 and 6 February 2026. We report on some of the key topics on the agenda.
Efficient sulphur recovery is essential for modern refineries to meet stringent environmental regulations and support sustainability goals. Fluor examines the key design considerations, smart design strategies and flexible sulphur block configurations that are essential in achieving an overall optimised design. Together, these strategies enhance efficiency, reduce emissions, improve reliability, and provide flexibility for changing crude qualities, ensuring compliant and economically robust refinery operations.
Worley Comprimo has carried out an evaluation of technologies allowing 99.8+% sulphur recovery for an Indian refinery case. The TopClaus process was compared to alternative technologies, focussing on modern technical challenges, investment operation and maintenance costs, as well as CO2 considerations.
CRU’s annual Sulphur+Sulphuric Acid Expoconference was held from November 3rd to 5th, at The Woodlands, Texas.
The global sulphur market’s bullish momentum from late 2025 has firmly carried over into the New Year, with prices pushing forward across most key regions despite a slow return to spot trading after the holiday break. With spot prices now past their 2022 highs and testing levels not seen since the 2008 peak, affordability has become the market’s central theme. The market remains divergent, with some buyers forced to accept the rally due to tight supply, while others, particularly in China, are showing clear signs of demand destruction.
A complete listing of all articles and news items that appeared in Sulphur magazine during 2025.
Sulphur prices have risen rapidly in recent months as the market moves into a period of deficit which is likely to last until 2028.
The Chinese ammonium sulphate industry continues to see rapid growth, with exports rising to record levels, against increasing demand coming from Brazil and India.
• CRU’s latest global sulphur forecast is for a January price peak before a decline, with the key downside risk being a sharper correction if the supply deficit closes faster than expected. The global sulphur market’s upward momentum has been slowing, with attention shifting to geopolitical risks in Iran. Despite limited physical disruption being reported, the upside risk to prices could be substantial. Following the US bombing of an Iranian nuclear facility back in June, supply from Iran became bottlenecked, despite good production levels, as vessel owners became unwilling to call at ports like Bandar Abbas due to the increased risk.