Tag: Sulphur Handling

Sulphur run-down lines are typically sized by referencing past projects and ‘rules of thumb’. Very little analysis is performed to identify the impacts of slope, fittings, valves, etc. It is critical to maintain an open vapour path from the condenser to the sealing device. CSI has observed problems in the field which appear to be caused by undersized run-down lines and has developed a method of predicting the liquid level in a run-down line that considers the most common elements.

Sulphur is a relatively safe and inert solid. However, it has a number of unique physical and chemical properties which can give rise to hazards, particularly during transport and handling.

John M. Bryant , President and CEO of The Sulphur Institute, looks at how the sulphur supply chain has reacted to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic over the past 18 months, and the key principles of a successful sulphur supply chain.

India’s power and renewable energy minister RK Singh has placed draft plans before the cabinet for the country’s refining and fertilizer sectors to switch to renewable ‘green’ hydrogen feeds. Other energy intensive sectors such as steel and transport are likely to follow. The policy suggests that refiners must have 10% of their hydrogen consumption generated from renewable electricity by the end of financial year 2023-24, rising to 25% by 2030. The comparable figures for ammonia/urea production are 5% and 20%, respectively. India is pursuing some of the world’s most ambitious renewable energy targets of 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by the end of 2022 and 450 GW by 2030.

Fires are known to occur in sulphur storage pits and tanks somewhat frequently due to the presence of both flammable material and air, so methods for preventing and extinguishing these fires are critical. D. J. Sachde, K. E. McIntush, C. M. Beitler, and D. L. Mamrosh of Trimeric Corporation review fire suppression methods used in the industry including snuffing/sealing steam, rapid sealing, water mist, and inert gas blanketing. Protective tank design features to reduce the likelihood of a sulphur fire are also reviewed. Benefits and limitations, design considerations, and recommended guidance for suppression and preventative measures are discussed.

Sulphur reports on this year’s Sour Oil and Gas Advanced Technology (SOGAT) conference, which was run as a virtual event at the end of September 2020.

Fugitive dust emissions during the handling and storage of formed sulphur can result in negative environmental impacts and under specific conditions result in an explosion hazard. Enersul has developed a dust suppression system specifically targeted at controlling sulphur dust particles. The Enersul SafeFoam Transfer System (STS) reduces sulphur fines at critical transfer points throughout any sulphur handling system, resulting in a significantly safer and more environmentally friendly sulphur handling system.

The Sixth Annual MESPON Forum took place 7-10 October at the Rosewood Hotel Abu Dhabi, where the global sour gas and sulphur community gathered for four days of networking, learning, and collaboration. This year’s theme highlighted new trends, innovations and best practices in the field of sour gas processing that enhance operations.