Section: Features

MEScon 2025 took place in Abu Dhabi from 19-22 May 2025, providing delegates with renewed energy, new connections, and fresh ideas to apply across the sulphur value chain.

IPCO highlights the reasons for converting sulphur into a solid form, and compares two of the technologies most commonly used to achieve this.

New sulphur production from Chinese and Indian refineries and Middle Eastern sour gas and the ramp up of nickel leaching projects in Indonesia continue to change the direction of sulphur trade.

The progressive closure of smelter capacity in Australia poses potential problems for acid consumers across the country.

Titanium dioxide is one of the major chemical uses for sulphuric acid outside of phosphate and metals processing, and sulphate route plants remain concentrated in China.

A round-up of current and proposed projects involving non-nitrogen synthesis gas derivatives, including methanol, synthetic/substitute natural gas (SNG) and gas- and coal to liquids (GTL/CTL) plants.

As well as a recent US Chemical Safety Board report on an ammonia release incident, the past year has seen considerable focus on safety of ammonia at sea, in preparation for its possible use as a clean burning maritime fuel.

This year’s International Methanol Technology Operators’ Forum (IMTOF) was held at the Holiday Inn Regents Park hotel, London, from June 15 to 18.

Increased merchant ammonia capacity over the next few years may lead to longer term price declines.

VK Arora of KPI examines the technical and operational challenges of decarbonising legacy and new ammonia plants, drawing on a European case study of full-scale conversion supported by robust process and integration design. It also presents three US case studies exploring partial strategies, such as green hydrogen blending and oxygen enrichment, to reduce CO2 emissions and improve throughput. Together, these examples highlight a phased, cost-effective approach to decarbonisation, with blue hydrogen serving as a near-term transitional feedstock.