08 Synopsis Sheet SRU 03-11-05

1Petroleum industry - SRU

Synopsis-Petroleum industry-SRU-03-11-05

PETROLEUM INDUSTRY:

SULPHUR RECOVERY UNIT

SYNOPSIS SHEET

PREPARED IN THE FRAMEWORK OF EGTEI



1 ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION AND EGTEI CONTRIBUTION – SUMMARY ...............3

2 REPRESENTATION OF THE SECTOR IN RAINS...................................................3

3 STATUS OF EGTEI ......................................................................................................34 METHODOLOGY DEVELOPED WITHIN EGTEI TO REPRESENT THE

SECTOR...............................................................................................................................44.1 DEFINITION OF REFERENCE INSTALLATIONS .................................................................................44.2 DEFINITION OF EMISSION ABATEMENT TECHNIQUES AND PROPOSED TECHNO-ECONOMIC DATA ..........4

4.2.1 Dust abatement techniques............................................................................................44.2.2 NOx abatement techniques............................................................................................44.2.3 SO2 abatement techniques.............................................................................................4

5 COUNTRY SPECIFIC DATA TO BE COLLECTED .................................................5

6 APPLICATION RATE AND APPLICABILITY OF EACH ABATEMENTTECHNIQUE ........................................................................................................................5

6.1 SO2 ABATEMENT MEASURES ......................................................................................................6

7 RELEVANCE OF EGTEI INFORMATION FOR INTEGRATED ASSESSMENTMODELLING (IAM) .............................................................................................................68 PERSPECTIVE FOR THE FUTURE...........................................................................6

9 BIBLIOGRAPHY ...........................................................................................................6

ANNEXE: EXAMPLE OF DATA COLLECTION AND USE OF EGTEI DATA – CASEOF FRANCE ........................................................................................................................7

A. COUNTRY SPECIFIC DATA COLLECTION AND SCENARIOS DEVELOPED...7



1 Activity description and EGTEI contribution – summary

This sector covers emissions from sulphur recovery plants (Claus plants) in refineries. Sulphurrecovery refers to the conversion of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) to elemental sulphur. Hydrogensulphide is a byproduct of processing natural gas and refining high-sulphur crude oils.Sulphur recovery refers to the conversion of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) to elemental sulphur. Hydrogensulphide is a byproduct of processing natural gas and refining high-sulphur crude oils.In the widely used multistage Claus sulphur recovery process, a portion of the H2S in the feed gas isoxidized to SO2 and water in a reaction furnace with air or enriched oxygen. After quenching the hotgases to generate steam, the cooled gases are passed through a sulphur condenser to recover liquidsulphur and the gases are reheated. The remaining non-combusted fraction of the feed gas H2Sreacts with SO2 in catalytic converters to form elementar sulphur, water and heat. The number ofcatalytic stages depends on the level of conversion desired. [1]

Table 1.1: Efficiencies of the Claus process [1]

Number of Claus reactors Efficiency (%H2S converted)1 902 94-963 97-98

This sector was not considered as an individual sector in the previous NOx and SO2 version of RAINS[3, 4], and EGTEI has been able to develop an approach for representing this sector and toestimate costs of reduction techniques. The methodology for this sector was developed inclose cooperation with CONCAWE and with experts from TOTAL, SHELL and ADEME.The representative unit used is the ton of sulphur produced. One reference installation (RI) has beendefined. EGTEI defines different SO2 abatement measures. The most common process is the Clausunit, which enables a recovery rate of sulphur amounting to 95-97%. To bring sulphur recovery yieldto 99% or more, a Claus Tail Gas Treating Process can be added to a Claus unit. Indeed gasesthrough Claus plants still contain substantially sulphur compoundsEGTEI provides default emission factors (EF) with abatement efficiencies, investments and variableand fixed operating costs (OC) as well as unit costs (€/t pollutant abated and €/activity unit) for thedifferent abatement measures.National experts only need to collect 3 country specific parameters (wages, electricity, catalyst cost)and 4 country and sector specific parameters (activity level, SO2 emissions and the application rateof two DeSOx application rates). EGTEI provides default costs for country and specific parameterswhich can be used if no better data exist. Knowing the sector specific parameters then allows toproperly describe the sector and to calculate the application rate of each abatement technique.Recently, this specific sector doesn’t properly exist in the RAINS modules. In the future however, newtechnological developments should be considered by EGTEI to continuously update the backgrounddocument and hence the representation of the sector.

2 Representation of the sector in RAINS1

In the RAINS model of the year 2003, which has been used for elaborating the background document,the sector of Sulphur Recovery Unit was part of the RAINS sector “PR_REF” (Other industrialProcesses – Petroleum Refining) [2, 3, 4].

3 Status of EGTEI

EGTEI has developed an approach for representing the Sulphur Recovery Unit sector and estimatingcosts of reduction techniques. The methodology used for this sector was developed in closecooperation with CONCAWE and with experts from TOTAL, SHELL and ADEME.

1The latest modified versions of the RAINS modules have not been considered. Here we refer to theRAINS model of the year 2003



4 Methodology developed within EGTEI to represent the sector

4.1 Definition of reference installations

Table 4.1: Reference Installation

Reference Code Technique Plant size range[t /a]

01 Standard Claus Unit (one thermal and twocatalytic steps) 33,333

4.2 Definition of emission abatement techniques and proposed techno-economic data

4.2.1 Dust abatement techniquesNo dust abatement techniques are implemented in a Sulphur Recovery Unit.

4.2.2 NOx abatement techniquesNo NOx abatement techniques are implemented in a Sulphur Recovery Unit.

4.2.3 SO2 abatement techniques

The most common process is the Claus unit, which enables a recovery rate of sulphur amounting to95-97%. To bring sulphur recovery yield to 99% or more, a Claus Tail Gas Treating Process can beadded to a Claus unit. Indeed gases through Claus plants still contain substantially sulphurcompounds. There are different types of tail gas treatment units :ü SULFREENThis process is based on the Claus reaction. Here the sulphur produced is adsorbed on an active

alumina based catalyst.ü CLAUSPOLThis process is based on the Claus reaction. The reaction takes place in a column with packed

beds, with the gas entering from the bottom of the column while a solvent with catalyst is distributedin the top of the column.ü SCOT processThe Claus tail gas is selectively hydrogenated to H2S, which is separated from the gas stream in

an amine absorber.ü SUPERCLAUSThe tail gas is led through a reactor with a selective oxidation catalyst, which converts H2S with

excess oxygen to sulphur. [1]ü Others techniquesSome other techniques exist also.

All these techniques will be considered defining three abatement technique categories, each onehaving a specific category as described in the following table 4.2.3.1.

Table 4.2.3.1: SO2 abatement measuresAbatementtechnique

Techniques Abatementefficiency

[%]

Emission factor(kg/t sulphur)

Uncontrolled 96 80Category 1 SuperClaus,.. 99 20Category 2 Clauspol,

Sulfreen,..99.5 10

Category 3 SCOT,.. 99.9 2



Table 4.2.3.2: Investments and Operating costs for SO2 abatement measures

Description Investment(k€)

FixedOperating

costs(%/a)

VariableOperatingcosts (€/t)

TotalOperating

costs(€/t)

Cost pertonne of

SO2 abated(€/t) (1)

Cost pertonne ofSulphur

produced(€/t) (1)

Uncontrolled - - - - - -Category 1 2,000 4 3.86 9.80 228 14Category 2 5,000 4 2.83 24.5 390 27Category 3 10,000 4 5.11 49 690 54

(1): Case of France

5 Country specific data to be collected

Different types of country specific data have to be collected to give a clear picture of the situation ineach Party. EGTEI proposes default values for the economic parameters which can be modified bythe national expert if better data are available.For this sector, country specific economic parameters are used to calculate variable operating costs.They are presented in table 5.1 as default costs proposed by EGTEI (these costs are entered onlyonce in the ECODAT database tool).

Table 5.1: Country specific costs

Parameters Default costs providedby EGTEI Country specific costs

Electricity [€/kWh] 0.0569 To be provided by national expertsWages [€/h] 37,234 To be provided by national experts

Catalyst cost [k€/m³] 15 To be provided by national experts

Default data have been used to calculate variable and annual abatement costs presented in table4.2.3.2.Information concerning activity levels from 2000 to 2020 as well as the description of the controlstrategy is also necessary (these data can be directly entered in the database ECODAT). A fullspecification of the work to be done by national experts is provided in the general EGTEImethodology.

Table 5.2: Activity levels for Reference Installations (t sulphur produced / year)RIC 2000 2005 2010 2015 202001

National experts can also modify - in a range of ± 10% - the default unabated emission factorproposed by EGTEI to represent the reference situation of the sector for all Parties.

Table 5.3: Unabated emission factor [kg/ t Sulphur produced]Pollutants Default data mean User input mean

EF SO2 80 To be provided by nationalexpert

6 Application rate and applicability of each abatement technique

The national experts are kindly asked to provide for each abatement technique its application rate andits applicability in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020. If a national expert has this information at hand, hecan fill in the different tables described in paragraphs 6.1, 6,2 and 6.3.If not, a methodology is described in the background document [5]

Table 6: Input parameters needed to calculate application ratesPARAMETER 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020



Na: Activity level (t of sulphur produced peryear)

ESOx Emission of SO2 [t]

Application rate for one technical option[%]Application rate for another technicaloption [%]

6.1 SO2 abatement measuresTable 6.1: Application rate and applicability for SO2 abatement measures

DescriptionApplicationrate in 2000

[%]

Applicationrate in 2005

[%]

Applicability[%]


[%]

Applicability[%]


[%]

Applicability[%]


[%]

Applicability[%]

NoneCategory 1Category 2Category 3

7 Relevance of EGTEI information for Integrated Assessment Modelling(IAM)

In the RAINS model of the year 2003, which has been used for elaborating the background document,the sector of SRU Unit was part of the RAINS sector “PR_REF” (Other industrial Processes –Petroleum Refining) [2, 3, 4]. Thus, emission factors, abatement techniques and costs consideredwere not specific to this sector and it was very difficult to define a reduction scenario.EGTEI now provides an approach to specifically consider the sector. The approach has beendeveloped in close cooperation with industry.

8 Perspective for the future

In the future, new production technologies which could gain relevant market shares should beconsidered by EGTEI in the background document to continuously develop the representation of thesector.

9 Bibliography

[1] Reference document on best available techniques for mineral oil and gas refineries, IPPC,Sevilla, 2001.

[2] Nitrogen oxides emissions, abatement technologies and related cost for Europe in the RAINSmodel database, IIASA, 1998. http://www.iiasa.ac.at/~rains/reports/noxpap.pdf

[3] Sulfur emissions, abatement technologies and related cost for Europe in the RAINS modeldatabase, IIASA, 1998. http://www.iiasa.ac.at/~rains/reports/so2-1.pdf

[4] Modelling Particulate Emissions in Europe, A framework to Estimate Reduction Potential andControl Costs, IIASA, 2002. http://www.iiasa.ac.at/rains/reports/ir-02-076.pdf

[5] Draft Background document on the sector of the petroleum industry prepared in the frameworkof EGTEI

http://www.iiasa.ac.at/~rains/reports/noxpap.pdf

http://www.iiasa.ac.at/~rains/reports/so2-1.pdf

http://www.iiasa.ac.at/rains/reports/ir-02-076.pdf



ANNEXE: Example of data collection and use of EGTEI data – Case of FranceA. Country specific data collection and scenarios developed

For the moment, no French data has been collected for this sector.

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08 Synopsis Sheet SRU 03-11-05