DTI Sulphur Report 2

FARADAY MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

UK Process Plant Capability Removal of Sulphur

from Oil and Gas Fuelsand Sulphur Recovery

The Department of Trade and Industry,Energy Innovation and Business Unit

by Faraday Management Solutions Ltd, January 2003

URN 03/600

Foreword

Based in the UK, there are full-service offices of 20 or so contractors who provide

design, engineering, project management and construction management

services to the international oil and gas, refinery, gas processing and

petrochemicals industries. Taken together, over three-quarters of the work

executed by these contractors is on projects outside the UK.

It is a strategic aim of the UK Government to maintain our strong presence in

international contracting. Within the Government framework, it is the role of

overseas and home-based staff of Trade Partners UK to assist companies to

pursue foreign projects. In the UK, DTI works with contractors and their supply

chain to help them meet changing market circumstances.

As part of this effort, Oil and Gas Industry Development (part of the Energy

Innovation and Business Unit of the DTI) has identified specific market needs,

which are expected to be important over the next 5 -10 years, as targets for

promoting UK capability. One such topic is the removal of sulphur from

hydrocarbon fuels to meet increasingly stringent environmental standards. This

report, produced by Faraday Management Solutions under contract to the DTI,

details UK capability to design process plant for the removal of sulphur from

hydrocarbon fuels, recover the sulphur for sale and manufacture sulphuric acid.

The prime purpose of this report is to inform Government staff who promote

UK exports so that they can work with potential clients more effectively and

target information at the right UK companies. It can also be used for direct

promotional purposes.

Previous reports have covered olefins production, gas-to-liquid conversion and

liquefied natural gas.

By Dr Peter Christie

Oil & Gas Industry Development

Energy Innovation and Business Unit

Department of Trade and Industry

UK Process Plant CapabilityRemoval of Sulphur from Oil and Gas Fuels

and Sulphur Recovery

Introduction

Origins of Sulphur

Sulphur in Gaseous and Liquid Fuels

Sulphur Removal from Gases and Light Hydrocarbons

Sulphur Reduction in Refining

Tail Gas Treating

Sulphuric Acid

UK-Based Companies

● Aker Kvaerner E&C Europe ● John Brown Hydrocarbons Limited

● AMEC Capital Projects ● M. W. Kellogg Limited

● BECHTEL Limited ● Parsons E&C

● Costain Oil, Gas & Process Limited ● SembCorp Simon-Carves

● FLUOR Limited ● Snamprogetti Limited

● Foster Wheeler Energy Limited ● Stone & Webster Limited

● Jacobs Engineering Limited ● Teknica UK Limited

Report Details

FARADAYMANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

UK Process Plant Capability - Removal of Sulphur from Oil and Gas Fuels and Sulphur Recovery 01

Introduction

This publication has been produced on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry,

Energy Innovation and Business Unit, by Faraday Management Solutions Limited. It gives

details of UK-based companies who can offer process, design, EP/C (engineering,

procurement and/or construction) or PMC (project management construction) services for

process plants which are designed for removing sulphur from liquid and gaseous

hydrocarbon fuels and for recovering sulphur as a marketable product or as sulphuric acid.

The prime purpose for this publication is to assist UK Government in helping UK industry

to win work, especially EP/C and PMC contracts, in the international market for sulphur

removal and recovery facilities. It will provide the UK-based export promotion and

overseas commercial staff of Trade Partners UK with a general and simplistic overview of

the technology and details of UK companies’ capabilities.

It will ensure that potential enquiries from international clients can be directed to the correct

person within the right organisation. This publication will also be made available to potential

clients and may be made more widely available via business units web site.

Origins of Sulphur

Sulphur, also known as brimstone, is an allotropic non-metallic element with an atomic

number of 16,an atomic weight of 32.064. It is the sixteenth most common occurring element

found in the Earth's crust and is found freely in volcanic regions and in combined state as

gypsum, CaSO42H2O; pyrite (Cu,FE)S2 & FeS2; galena, PbS; Epsom Salts and barite, BaSO4.

Sulphur is a pale yellow in colour, odourless, brittle solid that is insoluble in water but the

crystalline forms are soluble in carbon disulphide. Sulphur is essential to life on Earth, being

a minor constituent of fats, body fluids and skeletal minerals. It is these skeletal minerals,

with their constituent of sulphur that gives man, many hundreds of millions of years later, the

major problems described herein.

World annual production of elemental sulphur is about 52.7 million metric tonnes.

It is also found in meteorites. Jupiter's moon Io owes its colour to various forms of sulphur

and a dark area near the crater Aristarchus on our Moon may be a sulphur deposit.

The most important use of sulphur is in the manufacture of sulphur compounds, such as

sulphuric acid, sulphites and sulphur dioxide. Medicinally, it has also assumed importance


UK Process Plant Capability - Removal of Sulphur from Oil and Gas Fuels and Sulphur Recovery02

because of its widespread use in sulpha drugs and in many skin preparations. In association

with lime, sulphur is used as a fungicide on plants. It is also used in the production of

matches, vulcanised rubber, dyes and gunpowder and when combined with various inert

mineral fillers, sulphur forms special cement for the construction industries.

Almost all crude oils contain sulphur with total sulphur content found to be lower in light

crudes °API 40° than heavy crudes °API 25° thus making light crude less expensive to

process but it produces a lessor range of product than a heavier one. Modern refiners now

have the tendency to blend the light crudes with the heavy to get an optimised balance

between low sulphur content and a larger range of expensive products. Light crudes

contain a much larger amount of dissolved gas under more pressure than heavy crudes,

which contains little or no dissolved gas under very low pressure.

To find out how sulphur gets into hydrocarbons in the first place, you have to go back to

the geological framework of the earth, the formation of sedimentary rocks and the mixing

of those sea bed sediments with dead organic material drifting down from the surface. In

some cases, either because the supply of organic matter was very large, or because the

water itself was not disturbed, oxygen levels fell and certain types of anaerobic bacteria

fed upon this dead matter and changed the fatty acids of which it is composed to

hydrocarbon-like compounds. The sediments themselves incorporating these embryo

hydrocarbons were continually being added to. New material descending upon the old,

constantly compressed it and this compression caused the alteration of the sedimentary

material, whether it be sand, mud, limy precipitate or the skeletons of small animals, into

rocks, sandstone, clays etc. It is from the skeletons of the animals that elementary sulphur

is leached into these embryo hydrocarbons. This is now known as source rock being rich in

proto-hydrocarbons. It is usually thought of being as black shales or bituminous limestone.

So the birth of hydrocarbons begins and from the very beginning of the process, our

innocent friend Sulphur is very much involved!



Sulphur occurs in hydrocarbons largely as mercaptans. These can be thought of like hydrogen sulphide (H2S)

with one of the hydrogen atoms replaced by a carbon/hydrogen group, as detailed above.

Sulphur in Gaseous and Liquid Fuels

Products based on hydrocarbons (compounds of carbon and hydrogen), account for the

majority of the world’s energy resources and raw material for petrochemicals. The most

important source of hydrocarbons is naturally occurring deposits of hydrocarbon-rich

fluids trapped in geological formations known as reservoirs. These fluids are brought to the

surface by drilling a well into the reservoir and producing crude oil with associated or non-

associated gas and liquids.

Crude oil is a complex mixture of a large number of organic compounds. The combined

carbon and hydrogen content of a typical type of crude oil is about 97%. Sulphur

compounds form the largest group of non-hydrocarbon compounds and are by far the

most important and expensive for the refiner to deal with. The total sulphur content of

crude varies from reservoir to reservoir. In exceptional cases it can exceed 10% but, since

sulphur content reduces value, commercially traded crudes usually contain up to 1%, for a

low sulphur or "sweet" crude,and between 1% and 5 % for a "sour" crude. Elemental sulphur

usually accounts for only a small part of the total sulphur content. Over 250 different

sulphur compounds have been identified in crude oil, of which the most technologically

significant are hydrogen sulphide (H2S), mercaptans , which contain the -S-H grouping of

atoms also found in H2S, (sulphides), in which one sulphur atom is inserted into the paraffin

chain, and disulphides, in which the chain contains two adjacent sulphur atoms.

Non-associated natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) are also a mixture of

components ranging from methane, containing one carbon atom, butane and propane

to decane, containing, three, four and ten respectively. Associated gas is generally

"richer" than non-associated gas, containing a greater proportion of paraffins with more

than one carbon atom. The major non-hydrocarbons are sulphur compounds, carbon

dioxide and nitrogen. The sulphur compounds most frequently found in natural gas are

H2S, low molecular weight mercaptans and carbonyl sulphide (COS).

The composition of refinery gas varies with the processing scheme of the refinery but it

always contains hydrogen, hydrocarbons and volatile sulphur compounds, including H2S,

mercaptans and COS, which are formed during processing from sulphur contained in the

crude fed to the refinery.



Oil/Gas/WaterSeparation

Sea WaterPumps

Manifold

GasCompression

Water InjectionWells

GasDehydration

Gas

ProcessedOil To Export

Emergency Flare System

Natural Gas for Conditioning and Refining

Drilling Systems

Water Injection Wells

Injection to ResevoirGas Caps Processed

Gas for Conditioning and Reinjection

Processed Gas forConditioning and ReinjectionWELLHEADS

SEPARATIONFACILITIES

Pipelines

Sea Water ProducedWater

UntreatedOil

OILGASWATER

Total Oil and Gas Production Facilities Development

Source: Parsons E&C



Sulphur and sulphur compounds are undesirable impurities for the:-

● Environment – Sulphur and its compounds in fuels are converted, when burnt in air, to

sulphur dioxide (SO2), which, if emitted in combustion gases to atmosphere, causes

"acid rain",an acidic solution formed by SO2 dissolving in falling rain. Acid rain is currently

a subject of great controversy because of widespread environmental damage for

which it has been blamed, including eroding buildings and structures, injuring crops and

forests and threatening or depleting life in freshwater lakes.

● Health and Safety – A further hazard of SO2 atmospheric pollution (often known as

petrochemical smog) occurs when specific local and meteorological conditions allow

SO2 concentrations to build up in areas where it can be inhaled by people, causing

serious respiratory health problems. H2S and other volatile sulphur compounds are

themselves acutely toxic, if inhaled, even at concentrations as low as 50 parts per

million. The London smogs of the 1950's are good examples of the above health risks.

● Hydrocarbon and other industries – H2S and other sulphur compounds are acidic and

react readily with metals. This creates two significant technical problems. Firstly, they

corrode equipment and pipelines. Secondly they react with catalysts,which are usually

metals or metal oxides, causing them to become "poisoned" (lose catalytic activity).

Catalysts are substances, which promote or accelerate chemical reactions without

being consumed in the reaction and are widely used in refining and petrochemical

processes. Catalytic converters have been fitted to the exhausts of gasoline powered

vehicles increasingly over the last two decades to reduce emissions of harmful nitrogen

oxides. The efficiency of these devices is impaired by poisoning the catalyst with sulphur

compounds in gasoline.

For these reasons, limits on the sulphur content of hydrocarbon products are set by national

and international standard specifications, backed by commercial contracts and often by

legislation. Governments of industrialized nations, including EU member states, USA and

Japan, have introduced legislation to control noxious emissions to the environment and

they strictly monitor compliance. Legislation has a major impact on the permissible sulphur

content of most hydrocarbon products. The impact of legislation is direct, specifying

maximum permissible sulphur content of specific products, or indirect, in the case of

legislation applicable to emissions from power stations, where flue gas sulphur limits impose

constraints on the fuels burnt. New standards of sulphur control legislation through EU

directorates take effect in 2005 and is detailed in subsequent sections in this document.

Similar standards are also being introduced in other parts of the world. The following

diagram details the various processes which can be used to meet the EU directives.



Sulphur Removal from Gases and Light Hydrocarbons

Natural hydrocarbon reservoir gas, whether associated (with crude) or not, requires

chemical processing to remove undesirable components and contaminants to obtain

saleable products such as sales gas (98% methane), liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and

low octane gasoline. A simple gas process scheme will remove solids, dehydrate the

gas, remove acid gas and desulphurise or sweeten to remove sulphur compounds.

The sulphur compounds removed are converted to elemental sulphur. Recovered

natural gas liquids (NGL) are further processed into LPG and natural gasoline fractions,

which may need additional treatment to remove sulphur compounds.

The diagram overpage describes simplistically the gas and light hydrocarbon

processes and examples of technologies involved.

H2

Sour Water

Crude

Feed Feeds

Bitumen

Low SulphurFuel Oil

Fuel Oil/Coke

Benzene

KeroseneJet FuelDiesel Fuel

Gasoline

LPG

Sulphur

Fuel Gas

Vacuum Units

Crude Units

NaphthaDesulpurizers

DistillateDesulpurizers

Resid &Heavy OilDesulpurizers

HydrogenPlants

Sour WaterTreaters

IsomerizationUnits

CatalyticReformers

Hydrocrackers& Cat Crackers

Cokers &Visbreakers

SolventDeasphalting

AsphaltPlants

AromaticsExtraction/Fractionation

LNG, Naphtha& Jet FuelTreating Units

Sulphur RecoveryPlants

Gas Processing& Treating

Tail GasTreating Units

AlkylationUnits

Hydrodeal-kylationUnits



Block Refinery Diagram

Source: Parsons E&C

The saleable products discussed above will under current EU 2005 Legislation as defined in

European Directive 98/70/EC recommend total sulphur of:

● LPG (commercial propane and butane)

– Sulphur (total) 200ppm wt max

– Sulphur, Mercaptan 50 ppm wt max

– Hydrogen sulphide, 0.75 mg/m3 wt

● LPG (automotive fuel)

– Sulphur (total) 100ppm wt max

Current EU recommended maximum values of total sulphur in sales gas is:

● Sales Gas (98% methane)

– Sulphur (total) 24ppm wt max (30 mg/m3 wt)

– Sulphur, Mercaptan 5ppm wt max (6 mg/m3 wt)

– Hydrogen sulphide + COS 4ppm wt max (5 mg/m3 wt)



Gas Wells

Gas Gathering

Inlet Separation

DehydrationDesciccantMolsieveGlycolMethanol

NGL ExtractionPropaneFreonAmb. Lean OilTurboexpanderRefrigerated Lean OilAdsorption

Gas SweeteningBASF Activ. MDEASelective MDEASNEA - DEADEAHot CarbonateMEASulfinolStretfordMeroxZinc OxideLE702

Sales Gas Ethane

Tail Gas to Stack

Sulphur

LPGProduct

C5 +Condensate

ReinjectionGasLiquidDense Phase

Sulphur Recovery

ClausRecycle Selectox

Tail Gas PlantBSRPSulfreen

Liquid Sweeteningand Drying

MeroxSulfinerCausticDEAMDEADessicant (Drying)Dessicant (Sweet)Metal Oxides

FractionationStabilizerDeethanizerDepropanizerDebutanizerDepentanizer

Gas and Light Hydrocarbon Processes for Sulphur Removal and Recovery

Source: Parsons E&C

Glossary of Terms:

MEA - Monoethanolamine (HOC2H4NH2)

DEA - Diethanolamine

MDEA - Methyl Diethanolamine

DGA - Diglycolamine

DIPA - Disopropanolamine

Nearly all processes for removing/sweetening sulphur compounds from hydrocarbon

gases are based on a liquid or solid active medium which, in contact with the gas

stream, combines physically or chemically with those compounds but not significantly

with hydrocarbons. Due to cost, processes today are mainly regenerative, where the

sulphur-laden medium, after contact with the gas stream, is re-generated to remove

sulphur compounds, from which sulphur is recovered and the medium re-used. Newer

technologies, are now based on establishing a pressure difference across membranes

which are selectively more permeable to sulphur compounds than to hydrocarbons.

Acid gases occurring in natural gas, such as H2S, mercaptans and carbon dioxide, are

water-soluble, so liquid absorption media are virtually all-aqueous solutions. Some media,

like water itself, function by physically dissolving acid gases, which can then be driven off

by heating to regenerate the medium. Simple water washing can absorb acid gases

and may be used as a first stage in some processes, but most solvents used nowadays for

natural and refinery gas applications are proprietary, for example Selexol (dimethy poly-

ethyleneglycolor) or Purisol (N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone [NMP]).

By far the most versatile and widely used regenerative process is amine treatment, which

uses amines known as alkanolamines. The simplest alkanolamines used for gas treatment

are defined as MEA, DEA, MDEA, DGA and DIPA. See Glossary of Terms (opposite).

Regenerative processes based on solid media, employ the principle of selective

adsorption, using synthetic materials known as molecular sieves, granular solids with a

porous microstructure containing enormous surface areas within a small volume. The

sieve surface is activated to adsorb (physically attach) sulphur-containing molecules but

not hydrocarbons when sour gas flows through a bed of the material. Adsorbed gases

are removed cyclically to sulphur recovery by passing a small stream of heated sales gas

through the bed. Non-regenerative solid media processes are based on metal oxides or

hydroxides which react with acidic sulphur compounds. Most important of these is zinc

oxide, widely used to protect petrochemical catalysts from traces of sulphur remaining

in gas feedstock. Wood chips impregnated with iron oxide is the medium used in the Iron

Sponge process. This absorbent can be regenerated by air blowing but sulphur formed

in the regeneration reaction builds up, deactivating the medium after a few cycles.

A simplistic example of amine treatment is shown overpage.



Amine Treatment Block Flow Diagram

Source: Jacobs Engineering Limited (the ADIP Process)

Sulphur Reduction in Refining

The main liquid fuels produced in the refining of crude oils are;

● Liquid petroleum gas (LPG) ● Jet fuel ● Domestic heating oil

● Gasoline ● Kerosene ● Fuel oil

Sulphur and its compounds are undesirable in these fuels as their combustion releases

sulphur dioxide to the atmosphere. It also impairs the effectiveness of automobile

technologies aimed at improving fuel economy and reducing exhaust emissions. Current

and future sulphur limits defined by legislation in the UK and EU are shown opposite.

In refining the chemical treating of products is used to remove contaminants such as

sulphur, or to change the undesirable properties associated with it. Most commonly these

processes reduce the mercaptans content, improving product odour and reducing

corrosivity by extraction or oxidation of these mercaptans. The treating process removes

the mercaptans by extraction in a caustic solution to reduce the total sulphur content.



Purified Gas

Lean Solvent

Cooler

Rich Solvent

Sour Gas

Acid Gas

Steam

ABSORBER

REGENERATOR

REBOILER

Sulphur (total), ppm wt, max 200

Sulphur, Mercaptan, ppm wt, max 50

Hydrogen Sulphide, mg/m3, max 0.75

During the refining processes by which sulphur is removed in several ways:

The Oxidation Process known as sweetening converts mercaptans to less odorous and

less corrosive disulphides by air oxidation, in the presence of a catalyst, in a caustic

environment. The disulphides remain in the product, consequently no reduction of total

sulphur content occurs and this process is only used for products where sulphur content

is not a problem.

Chemical treating processes are used for the removal of mercaptans from;

● LPG ● Naphtha ● Gasoline ● Kerosene ● Diesel products

Mercaptans can also be removed from these products and their precursors by

hydrotreating processes.

Hydrogen is used to remove undesirable elements from products in order to meet

finished product specifications and from feedstock to render them suitable for

subsequent processing - such as;

● Sulphur ● Nitrogen ● Oxygen ● Halides ● Trace metals



Specification for Sulphur in Fuel

Year Current 2003 2005 2008 2009

LPG (commercial propane and butane)

LPG (Automotive Fuel)

Sulphur (total), ppm wt, max 100

Gasoline

Sulphur, ppm wt, max 150 50(10) 10

Automotive Diesel

Sulphur, ppm wt, max 350 50/10

Non-Road Diesel

Sulphur, ppm wt, max 2,000 1,000(500)

Gasoline/Domestic Heating Oil (including gasoline for Maritine use)

Sulphur, wt%, max 0.2 0.1

Fuel Oil

Sulphur, wt%, max 3.5 1.00

Jet Fuel

Sulphur (total), wt%, max 0.30

Sulphur, Mercaptan, wt%, max 0.003

This is accomplished by reacting them with hydrogen. This process is known as hydro-

desulphurisation, (HDS). However, it should be noted that most refinery hydrotreating

processes are designed to simultaneously remove, or reduce the concentration of, two

or more undesirable constituents of the feedstock. The process is used for a wide range

of feedstock, as shown in the following table.

Hydrotreating is one of a number of widely used refinery processes in which chemical

reactions take place over a metal catalyst in a hydrogen atmosphere. It differs from

hydroprocessing and hydrocracking in that the main hydrocarbon constituents of the

feedstock, and the basic feedstock properties such as specific gravity and boiling range,

remain essentially unchanged.

Hydroprocessing (also known as hydroconversion, hydrorefining and residue HDS) is a

term normally used for a number of processes that convert vacuum distillates partly or

completely into lighter products, or partially convert atmospheric or vacuum residues to

prepare feedstock for other processes such as catalytic cracking and coking.

Hydrocracking is a process that partially converts heavy distillate feedstock into lighter

products. It is pre-eminent for making high quality kerosene and diesel fuel. Both hydro-

processing and hydrocracking also result in removal of substantial amounts of impurities from

the feedstock, including sulphur, which is removed in the form of hydrogen sulphide.



Hydrotreating Process Characteristics

Feedstock Process Objective Required Product

LPG Sulphur, Olefins Specification LPG

Naphthas Sulphur, Nitrogen, Olefins, Metals Reformer feedstock

Cat. Cracked Naphtha Sulphur Gasoline blending Component

Atmospheric Gas Oil Sulphur, Aromatics Ethylene Plant feedstock

Sulphur, Aromatics Specification Jet Fuel

Sulphur, Aromatics and n-Parafins Specification Diesel Fuel

Atmospheric Residue Sulphur, Nitrogen, Carbon Residue

Metals Cat. Cracker feedstock

Sulphur Low Sulphur Fuel Oil

Sulphur, Carbon Residue, Metals Coker feedstock

Carbon Residue, Metals Residue Cat. Cracker feedstock

Vacuum Gas Oil Sulphur, Aromatics Ethylene Plant feedstock

Sulphur, Aromatics Specification Jet Fuel

Sulphur, Aromatics Specification Diesel Fuel

Sulphur, Nitrogen, Metals Cat. Cracker feedstock

Sulphur Low Sulphur Fuel Oil

The refining industry is meeting lower levels permitted in fuels and the need for higher levels

of sulphur removal in a number of ways. For example;

● Improvements to the basic hydrotreating process to include the use of multiple

reactors, more efficient reactor designs and improved catalysts.

● New processes, employing different principles, are being introduced, and new refinery

schemes are being devised to take advantage of current best available technology.

Sulphur Recovery

Sulphur is removed from hydrocarbon products in the form of H2S and other sulphur

compounds in the waste gas discharged from the acid gas removal process. Due to latest

EU legislation, environmental and safety considerations, the option of discharge to

atmosphere or incineration of waste gas is now unacceptable.

Chemical conversion for disposal as solid waste, such as calcium sulphate, is technically

feasible but uneconomical. The remaining option is, using existing technology, to convert

H2S to either elemental sulphur or sulphuric acid, both being saleable products.

Elemental sulphur is a relatively non-toxic and chemically inert substance, solid at normal

temperatures and insoluble in water and most other liquids. It is easy to store, even in the

open air, handle and transport in bulk. Ease of storage is an important advantage as it

enables sulphur to be stockpiled economically in periods of reduced demand. Sulphuric

acid, in contrast, is both toxic and corrosive and, as a liquid, more expensive to store and

transport than solid sulphur, especially since it contains only 32% sulphur by weight.

The process for the conversion of H2S to sulphur, known as the Modified Claus Process,

described below, is based on a process originally patented by Claus in 1883 and modified

in the 1930's.

The key reactions occurring are (1) partial oxidation of H2S with air and (2) the reversible

reaction of the remaining H2S with SO2 formed in (1) to form sulphur and water.

3 H2S + 1.5 O2 2 H2S + SO2 + H2O (1)

2 H2S + SO2 3 S+ 2 H2O (2)

Since reaction (2) is reversible, complete conversion of H2S and SO2 to sulphur cannot be

achieved. The main aim of the process is therefore to achieve economic maximum



conversion, typically around 98% sulphur recovery, by continuing reaction (2) over an iron

or aluminium oxide catalyst at the lowest temperature possible and by condensing and

removing sulphur from the reaction stream at intermediate stages, since both catalysis and

sulphur removal favour conversion.

If higher conversions are required, a tail gas treating unit can be added to the Claus Unit

to remove sulphur compounds from the tail gas.

Technologies detailed below show the increased performance of the basis Claus Unit by

courtesy of Parsons.



Jacobs Basic Claus Process Block Diagram

Source: Jacobs Engineering Limited

FrC

AirFeedGas

S S S

QC

Stack

H2S 2SO2 1

Reheater Reactor

Steam

Steam

Waste HeatBoiler

Incinerator

CombustionChamber

Condenser

Technology Performance Key Features

2 Stage Claus (basic) 96% Sulphur Recovery Latest Catalyst Technologies & Configuration

3 Stage Claus (modified) 98% Sulphur Recovery Latest Catalyst Technologies & Configuration

EUROCLAUS 98.5%-99% Sulphur Recovery Cyclic Sub-drew point Claus No switching

PRO-CLAUS 99.5%Sulphur Recovery Four stage Claus with direct reduction SO2 to Sulphur and direct oxidisation of H2S to S catalysts

Tail Gas Treating

The conventional (3 stage) Claus process cannot in practice achieve total sulphur recovery

higher than 98% of that in the feed gas. EU legislation proposed to take effect in 2006 will

require sulphur recovery units to achieve total sulphur recovery of 99.5%,necessitating further

processing of the tail gas, known as tail gas clean-up (TGCU). TGCU processes are of three

types: (1) oxidation to SO2 of other sulphur compounds, followed by removal of SO2, if

required, (2) "Claus continuation" processes and (3) reduction processes, converting other

sulphur compounds to H2S, followed by separation of H2S for recycling to the Claus Unit.

The simplest oxidation process is incineration, combusting a fuel in the tail gas stream. If the

resulting SO2 concentration is below legal limits the gas can be discharged to atmosphere. A

final incineration step is often added to other TGCU processes. If the SO2 concentration

following oxidation is higher than permissible, the gas must be treated to remove SO2. The

simplest SO2 removal process is caustic wash but it is non-regenerative and creates waste

disposal problems. Regenerative processes,primarily developed for Flue Gas Desulphurisation

(FGD), such as the Wellman-Lord process, are preferred for TGCU applications.

Claus continuation processes perform the Claus reaction at temperatures below the

sulphur dew point, at which further conversion of H2S to sulphur occurs. In these processes

the catalyst is held in a fixed bed reactor where the sulphur formed is deposited and has

to be removed cyclically by passing hot incinerator off-gas first through the bed then

through a sulphur condenser to recover sulphur. Cyclical operation requires two reactors,

one operating on conversion and the other on regeneration. Processes of this type include

Cold Bed Absorption (CBA) and Sulfreen technology.

Reduction processes convert other sulphur compounds to H2S by hydrogenation followed

by H2S removal by one of many processes available, so that H2S-rich gas can be recycled

to the inlet of the Claus Unit. Processes of this type include Shell Claus off-gas Treating

(SCOT) and the Beavon Sulphur Removal (BSR) series of processes. The SCOT diagram

below, illustrates the concept involved in reduction processes. Hydrogenation of SO2 and

sulphur is based on the following reactions:

CH4 (methane fuel gas) + O2 H2 + CO + H2O

SO2 + 3H2 H2S + 2H2O

S + H2 H2S

Claus tail gas enters an inline burner (1) where fuel gas is burnt with deficient air to form

hydrogen and heat the gas stream to reaction temperature before it enters the catalytic



hydrogenation reactor (2). The reactor effluent is cooled first in a heat recovery system (3) and

then in a recirculating water quench (4). H2S in the tail gas is removed in an amine absorber

(5) from which treated gas passes to an incinerator before discharge to atmosphere. H2S

separated from the rich solvent in the amine regenerator is recycled to the Claus Unit.

SULPHURIC ACID (H2SO4)

Sulphuric acid, H2SO4, is a highly reactive strong acid, usually marketed as a solution in

water with a concentration level of 93-98%.

Because of its versatile chemical properties and low cost it is used on a large scale and

in many industrial processes. Its largest end-use is for the manufacture of fertilisers. It has

been in use for centuries but production surged as the Contact Process, described

below, was developed in the 19th century. This process is virtually the only one in use today

as, unlike earlier processes, it can produce concentrated acid directly.

The process is based on the catalytic oxidation of sulphur dioxide and has diversified to

use a range of raw materials containing sulphur, including elemental sulphur, hydrogen

sulphide and sulphur dioxide derived by roasting iron pyrites or produced in certain

metallurgical processes, such as copper smelting, in some flue gas desulphurisation



Shell SCOT Process Block Flow Diagram

Source: Jacobs Engineering Limited

Steam

FuelGas

AirReactor

ReheatorQUENCHCOLUMN

Off GastoIncinerator

Re-CylcleGas toClaus Unit

Steam

GasCooler

Condensateto SWS

REBOILER

ABSORBER

REGENERATOR

ClausTail Gas

processes or by the incineration of refinery acid sludges. A large proportion of sulphuric

acid production uses materials which are potentially noxious wastes, providing an

economic and ecologically acceptable option for their disposal.

Elemental sulphur recovered from hydrocarbon processing is cheap and abundant and is

the principal raw material used for production of sulphuric acid.

Production of sulphuric acid from elemental sulphur by the Contact Process is based on the

following reactions:

S + O2 SO2 (1) (sulphur burning)

SO2 + 1/2 O2 SO3 (2) (catalytic oxidation or conversion)

SO3 + H2O H2SO4 (3) (absorption)

All these reactions generate large amounts of heat, which has to be removed, usually by

generating steam, for which an energy credit may be obtained. Reaction (2) is reversible so

that the economic optimum SO2 conversion is always less than 100% but can exceed 99.5%

using the double absorption variant of the process, in which conversion is promoted by

removing heat to maintain the reaction temperature profile within the optimum range of

400-600°C and by withdrawing SO3 product at an intermediate point in the reaction.

The process begins with the generation of converter feed gas by burning liquid sulphur in the

sulphur furnace. This gas is cooled in a waste heat boiler to the required converter inlet

temperature. Oxygen for reactions 1 and 2 is supplied by a stream of filtered dried air,

delivered by the air blower at the pressure required to maintain flow through the system. To

minimise corrosion, water is removed from the air by absorption in 98% acid in the packed

drying tower. The converter comprises a vertical stack of four separate reactors ("passes"),

each containing a bed of vanadium catalyst and having its own gas inlet above the bed

and outlet below it. Feed gas enters the first pass where substantial conversion occurs before

the gas stream exits to be cooled externally prior to traversing the second pass after which

it is cooled again before entering the third pass. Gas leaving the third pass is led, after

cooling, through the packed inter-pass absorber where SO3 is removed from it by a down-

flowing stream of 98% acid before the gas returns to the fourth pass of the converter. Fourth

pass exit gas is cooled, then enters the packed final absorber where 98% acid absorbs

essentially all residual SO3 from the gas. The physical properties of 98% acid are such that

losses from the final absorber of both SO3 and H2SO4, either as vapour or in the form of

persistent acid mist, are minimised when acid of this strength is used as the absorbent. Acid

leaving the drying and absorption towers returns to the product acid pool where the acid

strength is controlled automatically by the addition of make-up water.



AirMoltenSulphur

BoiledFeed Water

Steam

SuperheatedSteam

ProductAcid

BoiledFeed Water

BoiledFeed Water

Exit Gas

1

2 3 4

5 6

7

1 Drying Tower 2 Air Blower 3 Sulphur Furnace 4 Waste Heat Boiler

5 Converter 6 Interpass Absorber 7 Final Absorber

Water

4th Pass

1st Pass

2nd Pass

3rd Pass



Sulphuric Acid Plant Block Flow Diagram

(Sulphur Burning Double Absorption Contact Process)

Source: SembCorp Simon-Carves

UK-Based Companies

UK-based Companies offering process design, EP/C and/or PMC services for removing

sulphur from oil and gas fuels and for recovering sulphur in either a marketable sulphur

or as sulphuric acid are listed in the table below. This also summarises the capabilities

that they are currently able to offer. More details on these companies together with

their own or "open art" technologies being used are given on subsequent pages under

individual Company's Capability.

The question of technology and Licensor’s experience/partnerships and whether any

one company is to any specific technology or have access by agreement to selected

ones has been left vague, because the subject is too large and complex to be

considered as part of this document.

Projects detailed as part of the Company's relevant experience are tabulated in a

format to ensure the important aspects of each facilities is relevant to the subjects of

this document. Each Company have received a completed tabulation for their review

and if required approval by the relevant Clients whose details are contained within.



Glossary of Terms:

HDT - Hydrotreating

HDC - Hydrocracking

LTreat - Liquid Treating

H2S - Gas Treating

SRU - Sulphur Recovery

TGT - Tail Gas Treatment

H2SO4 - Sulphuric Acid

Company HDT HDC LTreat H2S SRU TGT H2SO4

Aker Kvaerner ✔ ✔ ✗ ✗ ✔ ✗ ✔

AMEC Group ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

BECHTEL ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✗Costain Oil & Gas ✔ ✗ ✗ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

FLUOR ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✗Foster Wheeler ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Jacobs Engineering ✗ ✗ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✗John Brown Hydrocarbons ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✗M. W. Kellogg ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✗Parsons E&C ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

SembCorp Simon-Carves ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✔

Snamprogetti UK ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✗Stone & Webster ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✗ ✔

Teknica ✔ ✗ ✗ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✗



Company’s Capability for Sulphur Removal and Recovery

Company Details: Aker Kvaerner E&C Europe Contact Details: Hunter Isles

4500 Parkway General Manager, Process & Technology

Solent Business Park Tel: 44 1489 611111

Whiteley Fax: 44 1489 614501/614503

Hants Email: [email protected]

PO15 7AY www.akerkvaerner.com

In the following process areas EP/C PMC Technology/Licensor

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔ Haldor Topsoe, Makfining

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of cracked materials ✔ ✔ Synflex

Hydrocracking ✔ ✔ Non aligned technology

Hydrotreating/Hydroprocessing of residues ✗ ✗ - - -

Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✗ ✗ - - -

Gas Treating – H2S removal ✗ ✗ - - -

Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✔ Non aligned technology

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✗ ✗ - - -

Sulphuric Acid ✗ ✔ Chemetics

Client and Location Description of Process Technology/Licensor Dates

Company’s Project Experience

Company Details and Contact Points

Engineering contract for the desulpurisation ofDiesel.

LSTK contract for the hydrodesulphurisation ofdiesel to 10 ppm and hydrodearomatisation.

2001

2001

Synflex

Haldor Topsoe

StatoilKalundborg, Denmark

EPC contract for 190kbpd upgrade to sulphurcomplex involving 800tpd sulphur removal plant.

2001TPASincorJose, Venezuela

Holborn RefineryHamburg, Germany

EPC contract for refinery units including HDC,amine treatment, sulphur recovery and revampof crude distillation and FCC units.

2000VariousBP Amoco - Clean FuelsProject, Brisbane,Australia

LSTK contract for a 36,000bpsd gasoil HDS/HADhydrotreater unit with deep desulphurisation(10ppm) as part of EU2005 fuel specification.

1999Haldor TopsoeHolborn RefineryHamburg, Germany

Engineering study for a 12,000bpsd gas oilhydrotreating HDS/HAD to meet EU 2005legislation for high quality (low sulphur) diesel.

2000MakfiningOMVBurghausen, Germany

Study & Basic Eng for revamping of existing HDSto meet EU 2005 legislation on dieselspecification.

1999Makfining, SynAlliance, HaldorTopsoe

Kuwait PetroleumRotterdam, Netherlands

Aker Kvaerner E&C Europe Capability Statement

Aker Kvaerner E&C offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for

removing sulphur from liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels and for recovering sulphur as a marketable

product or as sulphuric acid.

The plants listed below ensure that the sulphur content of gaseous and liquid fuels leaving the processing

facility meet EU 2005 and later proposed Legislation.

Aker Kvaerner E&C is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC on

gasoline and diesel fuel quality and the implication for refining processes and sulphur recovery technology.




Company Details: AMEC Group Ltd Contact Details: Jonathan Taylor

Downstream Oil, Gas and Process Technology Manager

11 The Boulevard Tel: 44 (0) 1293 584017

Crawley Fax: 44 (0) 1293 584011

West Sussex Email: [email protected]

RH10 1UX www.amec.com/oilgas&petrochemicals


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔ Haldor Topsoe & IFP (Axens)

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of cracked materials ✔ ✔ BP

Hydrocracking ✗ ✔ UOP


Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✗ ✔ UOP

Gas Treating – H2S removal ✔ ✔ UOP Amine

Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✔ Lo-Cat RedOX (Merichem)

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✗ ✔ Shell Scot Unit

Sulphuric Acid ✔ ✔ Haldor Topso




FEED and EP contract for the hydro-treating ofDiesel and Heating Oil to 5ppm and 1000ppmrespectively.

EED and EP contract for the hydrotreating ofFCC gasoline to 0.5 ppm.

2003

2003

Haldor Topsoe

BP technology0.5ppm

BP Coryton, Essex

BP Coryton, Essex

EPC contract for the installation of Lo-Cat RedOXprocess for the removal of H2S from the on-siterefinery Fuel Gas. Recovery of sulphur from Lo-Cat solution.

1997Lo-Cat Red OXIrish Refining LtdWhitegate Refinery,Ireland

PMC contract for a complete 100,000bpd grass roots refinery. UOP designed 22,000bpdhydrocracker, 20,000bpd Kerosene Merox Unit to sweeten kerosene & 25,000bpd NaphthaHydrotreater to sweeten naphtha to catformingrequirements and light naphtha for gasolineblending specifications. Treatment of tail gaseswith SCOT Unit.

2000/2001UOPClaus Unit > 98% SR SCOT Unit > 99.9%SC

Pak - ArabMidcountry RefineryPakistan

AMEC Capital Projects Capability Statement

AMEC Capital Projects offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for





AMEC Capital Projects is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC

on gasoline and diesel fuel quality and the implication for refining processes and sulphur recovery technology.




Company Details: BECHTEL Limited Contact Details: R. Gorden. Snashal

245 Hammersmith Road Manager Process Engineering & Technology

London Tel: 44 20 8 846 4191

W6 8DP Fax: 44 20 8 846 4559

Email: [email protected]

www.bechtel.co.uk


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔ UOP & IFP

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of cracked materials ✔ ✗ UOP

Hydrocracking ✔ ✗ UOP


Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✔ ✗ UOP amine

Gas Treating – H2S removal ✔ ✔ MDEA

Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✔ Claus Unit (Pritchard)

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✔ ✗ Shell SCOT Unit

Sulphuric Acid ✗ ✗ - - -




EPCM contract for a 450,000bpsd integratedgrassroots refinery and petrochemical complex.UOP technology was used to process importedcrude oil into international specifications forgasoline, LPG, kerosene, diesel fuel. Marketablesulphur and petroleum coke was a by product.

EPC contracts for processing and treating 1960MMscfd of natural gas in 2 plants includingMDEA gas treating, sulphur recovery &production of marketable sulphur.

1995/1999

1993-2000

UOPUOP amineMDEACLAUS (Pritchard)Shell SCOT

MDEACLAUS

Reliance Industries -Jamnager RefineryComplex, Gujarat, India

ADNOC - OGD 1& OGDIIHabshan, Abu Dhabi

PMC contract for refurbishing existing SR unitsincluding modifications and additions to CLAUSand SCOT Units.

2000/2001CLAUS Shell SCOT

Tengizchevroil -Program 12

EPC contract for crude oil processing andtreating including H2S removal.

1998Not availableTengizchevroll - KT2.3Expansion Project (Train 5) Kazakhstan

BECHTEL Capability Statement

BECHTEL offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for removing

sulphur from liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels and for recovering sulphur as a marketable product or

as sulphuric acid.



BECHTEL is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC on gasoline

and diesel fuel quality and the implication for refining processes and sulphur recovery technology.




Company Details: Costain Oil, Gas & Process Ltd Contact Details: Adrian Finn

Costain House Technology Development Manger

Styal Road Tel: 44 161 910 3444

Wythenshawe Fax: 44 161 910 3399

Manchester Email: [email protected]

M22 5WN www.costain.com


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✗ Shell & UOP

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of cracked materials ✗ ✗ - - -

Hydrocracking ✗ ✗ - - -


Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✔ ✗ Costain/Synetix

Gas Treating – H2S removal ✔ ✗ Costain/Open art DEA

Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✗ Open art Claus/Merichem

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✔ ✗ Shell Scot Unit

Sulphuric Acid ✔ ✗ Haldor Topsoe KUT


Costain Oil, Gas & Process Capability Statement

Costain offers process, design, EPC or PMC services for process plants which are designed for removing

sulphur from liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels and for recovering sulphur as a marketable product or

as sulphuric acid.


facility meet EU 2005 and subsequent proposed Legislation.

Costain is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC on gasoline

and diesel fuel quality and the implications for refining processes and sulphur recovery technology.



Basic Engineering Study for implementation of aclean fuels project based on UOP technology forliquid fuels to meet EU 2003 Legislation.

EPC contract for a 800MMscfd natural gas plant.Metal oxide technology was used to remove H2Sfrom propane to "Copper Strip" level. The sametechnology was used for treating natural gas.

2003

1995

UOP

Synetix

TotalFinaElf- Clean FuelsProject, Milford HavenRefinery, UK

ENRON - Natural GasProcessing Plant, SealSands. Teeside, UK

2003Proprietary solventtechnologyH2SO4 technology

Burlington Resources -Gas Compression andTreatment Plant, Barrowin Furnace, UK

EPC contract to recovery 98% of sulphur from H2Srich gas stream using Claus technology. ResidualH2S on process gas is destroyed in a tail gasoxidiser before flaring.

19963 Stage Claus > 98% SRBSR > 99% SR

Flexsys Rubber Products -Sulphur recovery unit,Wrexham, Clwyd, NorthWales, UK

EPC contract for a 200MMscfd gas processingplant to remove H2S & mercaptons from feedgas & tail gas disposal.

1997Costain (Molecular Sieve)

Powergen - gasprocessing plant,Connah's Quay, UK

EPC contract for a 130MMscfd gas treatmentplant. Licensed acid removal and tail gastreatment technology to meet very low levels ofH2S, CO2 & mercaptans in treated gas. Sulphurconverted to sulphuric acid.




Company Details: FLUOR Limited Contact Details: Roy Banks

Riverside Way Sales Director

Surrey Tel: 44 1276 402255

GU15 3YL Fax: 44 1276 411085


www.fluor.com


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔ SynSat, Axens/IFP. S Zorb SRT

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of cracked materials ✔ ✔ Axens/IFP

Hydrocracking ✔ ✔ UOP

Hydrotreating/Hydroprocessing of residues ✔ ✔ Axens/IFP

Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✔ ✔ UOP/amine

Gas Treating – H2S removal ✔ ✔ MDEA

Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✔ CLAUS & EUROCLAUS

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✔ ✔ Shell Scot Unit



FLUOR Limited Capability Statement

FLUOR Limited offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for





FLUOR Limited is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC on




The objective of the diesel HDS revamp is toproduce 8ppm sulphur diesel.

FEEP & EPC contract for a FCC gasolinedesulphurisation unit to meet future EU 2005specification.

2003

1999

SynSat

UOP

OMV - HDS RevampSchwechat, Austria

Fina - HDS - 4 UnitAntwerp, Belgium

FEEP contract for major revamp of 2 refineries tomeet Germany <50ppm sulphur target in 2001 &10ppm in 2002 for gasoline & diesel.

2001Axens/IFPUOP

Ruhr Oel - Auto Oil IIGelsenkirchen,Germany




Company Details: Foster Wheeler Energy Limited Contact Details: Stephen Culshaw

Shinfield Park Divisional Director, Sales & Marketing

Reading Tel: 44 118 913 1234

Bershire Fax: 44 118 913 2333

RG2 9FW Email: [email protected]

www.fwc.com

In the following process areas EP/C PMC Major Licensors Experience

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of cracked materials ✔ ✔

Hydrocracking ✗ ✔

Hydrotreating/Hydroprocessing of residues ✗ ✗

Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✗ ✔

Gas Treating – H2S removal ✔ ✔

Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✔

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✔ ✔

Sulphuric Acid ✔ ✔


Foster Wheeler Energy Capability Statement

Foster Wheeler Energy offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for





Foster Wheeler Energy is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC on




FEED and EPC contract for the hydro-treating ofNaptha to ultra low sulphur mogas.

EPC contract for gas oil, naptha,Kerohydrotreater to low sulphur fuels.

2002

2002

CDTECH

CERT

BP Coryton,Essex UK

TotalFinaELFLindey UK

1995/1998Merox

Claus Unit

Exxon Flexsorb - SE

Esso ThailandSriracha Thailand

Duty spec & PMC contract for 3 sulphur recoveryunits.

2000Non-proprietaryParsons

Saudi AramcoHaradh

FEED contract for a 200,000tpa sulphuric acidalkylation plant.

1995Stratco/MonsantoNovo UfimskyBashkortostan, Russia

Merox - Merichem - IFP

GTC - CDTech - Shell

Jacobs - Stratco - UOP

ChevronTexaco - Unocal

Criterion - Haldor Topsoe

Foster Wheeler - Akzo

Nobel - Parsons

FEED & E/P contracts for amine treating ofmercaptans &H2S kerosene etc.Feed &EPC contract for 2 x 82 MTD sulphurrecovery units.FEED &EPC contract for treatment of tail gases.


Company Details: Jacobs Engineering Limited Contact Details: Peter Fagiano

Knollys House Operations Director

17 Addiscombe Road Tel: 44 20 8 239 2122

Croydon Fax: 44 20 8 868 7757

Surrey Email: [email protected]

CR0 6SR www.jacobs.com

Jacobs Engineering Capability Statement

Jacobs Engineering offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for

removing sulphur from liquid hydrocarbon and gases and for recovering sulphur as a marketable product.

The performance of the generic plants listed below, ensure that a minimum of 97% of sulphur is recovered in

each hydrocarbon liquid and gas stream.




Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✗ ✗ - - -




Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✔ ✔ ADIP

Gas Treating – H2S removal ✔ ✔ ADIP & Shell Sulfinol

Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✔ CLAUS & EUROCLAUS

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✔ ✔ Shell Claus off-gas treating -SCOT

Sulphur Degasification ✔ ✔ Shell degasification process

Type of Plant & Process Key Features Performance Plant References



The process is used for the reduction of H2S andCO2 in liquid hydrocarbons. The process is basedon regenerative absorption with an amine solventin contact with the acid feed.

These process's are regenerative to reduce H2S, CO2, COS and mercaptans from gas. Thesulphur compounds in the produced gas arereduced to low ppm levels. The process usesaqueous solvents of Sulfinol, DIPA & MDEA.

More than 450plants built world-wide

450 ADIP & 200Sulfinol builtworld-wide

Liquids > 20ppmCO2 > 5ppm

97% > sulphurremoval

Liquid TreatingADIP process

Gas TreatingADIP process & Shell Sulfinol

The Claus & EUROCLAUS (an improvement onSUPERCLAUS) process removes elemental sulphurfrom H2S. The process is based on the combustionof part H2S to SO2 and subsequent reactionbetween remaining H2S and SO2 produces sulphur.

225 Claus & 12EROCLAUS builtworld-wide

99% > sulphurrecoverywithout tail gasclean up

Sulphur recoveryClaus & EUROCLAUS

The process is used to remove sulphur compoundsfrom Claus tail gas. The SCOT process essentiallyconsists of a Claus reduction section (discussedabove) with an ADIP absorption section, alsodiscuss earlier with an overall recovery of 99.9%.

185 SCOT Unitsbuilt world-wide

99.9% sulphurrecoverypossible onintake gas

Sulphur tail gas treatingby Shell Claus off gastreating SCOT

The process removes H2S & H2S from liquid sulphureliminating potential toxic and explosive hazardsassociated with handling, transport and storageof liquid sulphur.

150 Shell plantsbuilt world-wide

> 10ppm wt H2SSulphur Degassing byShell process




Company Details: John Brown Hydrocarbons Limited Contact Details: Graham Mead

20 Eastbourne Terrace Director - Business Development

London Tel: 44 20 7957 3624

W2 6LE Fax: 44 20 7957 3312


www.johnbrown.biz


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔ DPT - HDS/HAD > 50ppm of S


Hydrocracking ✔ ✔

Hydrotreating/Hydroprocessing of residues ✔ ✔

Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✔ ✔


Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✔

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✔ ✔

Flue Gas Desulphurisation ✔ ✔ DPT - Wellman-Lord Process


John Brown Hydrocarbons Capability Statement

John Brown Hydrocarbons offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed

for removing sulphur from liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels and for recovering sulphur as a marketable

product. Davy Process Technology (DPT) provides technology.



John Brown Hydrocarbons is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC

on gasoline and diesel fuel quality and the implication for refining processes and sulphur recovery technology.



PMC contract for refinery upgrade includingvacuum unit, 35,000 bpsd hydrocracker, distillateshydrotreater, hydrogen plant, vis breaker andsulphur units, amine and sour water stripper.

FEED and Managing Contract for Gas oil HDS.

2002

1998

Haldor Topsoe,Chevron/LummusIFP, Jacobs (Comprimo)ABB Lummus

DPT

Nasr Petroleum CompanySuez, Egypt

NOC LibyaAzzawiya, Libya

FEED contract for 640MMscfd gas processingplant including gas sweetening using amine,hydrocarbon dewport control, LPG & sulphurrecovery units.

1998Open artADNOC, Khuff Gas Plant,Abu Dhabi

Concept Study & FEED contract for gas gatheringand NGL recovery project for 600MMscfd onshorefacilities including acid gas removal and1400t/day sulphur recovery unit.

1997TFE, DEA, BSAF,MDEA, Shell sulfinoland Claus Unit

IOOC, Kharg Island,Iran

FEED & EP contract for a UOP designed15,000bpd BPSD Naphtha Hydrotreater & CCRReformer Unit.

1998UOPPetrox SA TalcahuanoChile

Non aligned to any specific

technology other than

mentioned but have

access by agreement to

selected ones




Company Details: M. W. Kellogg Limited Contact Details: Rod Dean

Kellogg Tower Sales and Marketing Manager

Greenford Road Tel: 44 20 8872 7028

Greenford Fax: 44 20 8872 7979

Middlesex Email: [email protected]

UB8 0JA www.mwkl.co.uk


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔ Haldor Topsoe, MAKFing

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of cracked materials ✔ ✔ IFP, EMRE SCANfining, MAKFing

Hydrocracking ✔ ✔ MAKing


Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✔ ✔ UOP/Merichem

Gas Treating – H2S removal ✔ ✔ Shell, Merichem

Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✔ Claus

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✔ ✔ Shell Scot Unit



M. W. Kellogg Capability Statement

M.W. Kellogg offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for removing

sulphur from liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon fuels and for recovering sulphur as a marketable product or as

sulphuric acid.



M.W. Kellogg is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC on gasoline




FEED contract for new 45,000bpsd dieselhydrodesulphurisation and 30,000bpsd FCC aspart of the Clean Fuels Programme to meet EUDirective targets on sulphur reductions in fuelsincluding diesel to 30ppm & gasoline 5ppm

FEED contract for revamp of two Gasoil HDS unitsto make low sulphur products in accordance withEU Directive targets on sulphur reductions in fuels.

1998

2000/2001

Haldor TopsoeIFPUOP

Exxon/Mobil MAKFing

Conoco UK - DHDS Unit,Immingham, UK

Kuwait Petroleum Refining - Europort,Netherland

FEED contract for a grass roots FCC gasolinedesulphurisation unit, together with revamps ofCat reformer, amine treatment and LPG/gasolinetreatment in accordance with EU Directivetargets on sulphur reductions in fuels.

2000EMRE SCANFingExxon/Mobil MAKFingMerichemShell

Statoil - MongstadRefinery, Norway

Process study, Licensor evaluation and FEEDcontract for a 15,000 bpsd grassroot dieselhydrodesulphurisation unit, amine treatment, sourwater stripper targeting sulphur content of dieselto 50ppm.

2000Haldor TopsoeUOP

Oman RefineryCompany- Sohar,Oman

EPC contract to upgrade diesel HDS to reducediesel sulphur levels to meet the EU directivetargets of 50pppm in year 2005.

2002Haldor TopsoeConoco - DHDS UnitImmingham, UK

PD, E&P contract to treat 300MMscfd feed gas toremove sulphur compounds, condensates etc.The process units treated acid gas and includedtail gas unit to recovery 99.9% sulphur.

1996Claus - 98% SRBSR/Amine- >99.9% SR

BHP Petroleum - OnshoreTerminal, Point of Ayr,Cwyd, North Wales, UK

FEED & EPCM contract for expansion of capacityto process 2,400MMscfd of associated gas,including DGA gas sweetening (amine), withClaus sulphur recovery plants converting souracid gas to 590mtd of elemental sulphur.

1999Claus - 98% SRSaudia Aramco - Uthmaniyah SaudiaArabia




Company Details: Parsons E&C Contact Details: Tim Goodhand

EMC Tower Technology Business Development Manager

Great West Road Tel: 44 20 8326 5143

Brentford Fax: 44 20 8234 0657

Middlesex Email: [email protected]

TW8 9AZ www.parsonsec.com


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔


Hydrocracking ✔ ✔

Hydrotreating/Hydroprocessing of residues ✔ ✔

Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✔ ✔

Gas Treating – H2S removal ✔ ✔ FLEXSORB

Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✔ Claus

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✔ ✔ BSR/Amine plus others

Sulphuric Acid ✔ ✗ Haldor Topso


Parsons E&C Capability Statement

Parsons offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for removing


sulphuric acid.



Parsons is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC on gasoline and

diesel fuel quality and the implication for refining processes and sulphur recovery technology.



FEED & PMC contract for 70,000bpd refineryconsisting of 9 revamp and 14 new process units.Latest technology was used to process localfeedstock into international specifications forgasoline, kerosene & diesel fuels etc. Marketablesulphur was a by product.

1996HTR UOPHDS MobilMeroxMerichem

NODCO - MesaieedRefinery, QatarArabian Gulf


technology but have

access by agreement to

selected ones.




Company Details: SembCorp Simon-Carves Contact Details: Geoff Willis

Sim-Chem House Head of Process & Technology

Warren Road, Cheadle Hulme Tel: 44 161 486 4050

Cheadle Fax: 44 161 486 4050

Cheshire Email: [email protected]

SK8 5BR www.simoncarves.com


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✗ ✗ - - -





Gas Treating – H2S removal ✗ ✗ - - -

Sulphur Recovery ✗ ✗ - - -

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✗ ✗ - - -

Sulphuric Acid ✔ ✔ SSC/NORAM


SembCorp Simon-Carves Capability Statement

SembCorp Simon-Carves offers process technology, design, EP/C or PMC services for covering sulphur,

hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide bearing gas stream into sulphuric acid.



Study for Refurbishment of Sulphuric AcidRegeneration Plant (Plant Inspection plus study of options).

EPS Contract for 100 MTPD sulphuric acid plantusing double absorption process together withBattery Acid Plant, Acid Storage facilities and siteservices and utilities.

2002

2002

SSC

SSC

Confidential – Middle East

BCNC- Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia

EPS contract for supply of a replacement Air DryingAcid tower and acid system equipment.

2001SSC/NORAMRhodia, Rieme, Belgium




Company Details: Snamprogetti Limited Contact Details: Alan Evans

Snamprogetti House Business Development Manager

Basing View Tel: 44 1256 482450

Basingstoke Fax: 44 1256 482851

Hampshire Email: [email protected]

RG21 4YY www.snamprogetti.it


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔ Haldor Topsoe, UOP, IFP (Axens)

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of cracked materials ✔ ✔ Own technology

Hydrocracking ✔ ✔ Chervon, UOP (Unical)

Hydrotreating/Hydroprocessing of residues ✔ ✔ Shell, Lummus, Axens

Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✔ ✔ UOP Merichem

Gas Treating – H2S removal ✔ ✔ Haldor Topsoe

Sulphur Recovery ✔ ✔ Amoco (BP), TPA

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✔ ✔ Shell Scot, TPA



Snamprogetti UK Capability Statement

Snamprogetti UK offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for





Snamprogetti UK is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC on




EPC contract for a 23,000bpsd hydrocracker unitand associated acid gas treating, sulphurrecovery and tail gas treating unit.

FEED contract for revamp of two Gasoil HDS unitsto make low sulphur products in accordance withEU Directive targets on sulphur reductions in fuels.

1996

2000

UOP/Jacobs

Merichem

Turkiye Petrol Refinerileri-Azmit Refinery

Adnoc - Ruwais Refinery,Abu DhabiArabian Gulf

E & P contract for a 53,000bpsd hydrocrackingunit for desulphurisation and conversion of heavyvacuum gas oils and sour gas treating unit for H2Sremoval (434m2 capacity).

1997UOPPetrochemia Plock-Hydrocracking ProjectPlock, Poland

EPC contract for the installation of a Claus sulphurrecovery plant converting sour acid to elementalsulphur. An earlier project also modernised 250t/dClaus & 215t/d Superclaus SRC Units.

1997/1999JacobsEnichem S.p.a - GelaPetrochemical Complex,Gela, Italy

EPC contract for installation of sulphur recoveryand tail gas treatment plant.

1997ResulfTMPemex Refination - Mexico




Company Details: Stone & Webster Limited Contact Details: Derek Lawler

500 Eldor Gate Business Development Manager

Milton Keynes Tel: 44 1908 602234

MK9 1BA Fax: 44 1908 602366


www.shawgrp.com


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔ Stone & Webster

Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of cracked materials ✔ ✔ Stone & Webster, UOP/Amoco

Hydrocracking ✗ ✔ Stone & Webster/Chevron

Hydrotreating/Hydroprocessing of residues ✗ ✗

Liquid Treating/Sweetening ✗ ✔


Sulphur Recovery ✗ ✔

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✗ ✗

Sulphuric Acid ✗ ✔


Stone & Webster Capability Statement

Stone & Webster offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for





Stone & Webster is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC on




FEED and EPC contract for the 25,000 bpd hydro-treating of distillate fuels to achieve EU directivetarget on sulphur.

FEED and EPC contract for revamp of11,500/10,000 bpd hydrotreating of FCC as part of the EU directive 2000/2005 on automotive fuels reduction of sulphur.

1992-1996

1998-1999

Stone & Webster

UOP/Amoco

Gulf Oil Refinery Ltd -Milford Haven UK

ELF Oil Refinery UK -Milford Haven UK

1994-1998Pritchard Corporationtechnology for acidgas sweetening & H2Sremoval

Kuwait National Oil Co -Mina Abdullah RefineryKuwait

Basis engineering contract for the refinery revampincluding FCC, alkylation and sulphuric acidplants using recovered elementary sulphur.

2002onwards

Non prioritytechnology

NOC - Abandan Refinery,Abandan, Iran

Engineering & PMC contract for a acid gasremoval project as part of the refinery revampwhich includes: acid gas sweetening units, sulphurrecovery units, tail gas treatment, sulphur flakingplants and polishing units.


technology but have

access by agreement

to selected ones.




Company Details: Teknica UK Limited Contact Details: Colin Douthit

Holborn Tower Senior Executive Vice President

137 High Holborn Tel: 44 (0) 20 7413 9600

London Fax: 44 (0) 20 7413 0199

WC1V 6PW Email: [email protected]

www.teknica-uk.co.uk


Hydrotreating/Desulphurisation of distillates ✔ ✔ IFP (Axens)





Gas Treating – H2S removal ✗ ✔ MDEA/DEA

Sulphur Recovery ✗ ✔ Claus Unit

Sulphur Plant Tail Gas Treating ✗ ✔ Shell Scot Unit



Teknica UK Capability Statement

Teknica UK offers process, design, EP/C or PMC services for process plants which are designed for removing


sulphuric acid.



Teknica UK is fully aware of the requirements and development of European Directive 98/70/EC on gasoline




Feed & PMS for 6000 bpsd naphtha hydrotreaterto prepare catalytic reformer feed.

Feed & PMS for H2S remove by molecular sievesfrom associated gas to be used for distribution insales gas mains.

2001-2003

2000-2003

IFP (Axens)

Kvaerner

AGOCO TobrukGSPLANJ

AGOCO NafooraGSPLAJ

PMS for H2S removal from natural gas which is tobe exported to Europe (approx 8 bscm/yr) andused domestically (approx 1.5 bscm/yr) plussulphur recovery tail gas treatment.

2002-2004Agip Gas BVWestern Libya Gas ProjectGSPLAJ

MDEA/DEA (H2Sremoval)CLAUS > 98% SRSCOTT (tail gas)> 99.9%SR

Notes:





Notes:



Report Details

Written by Tony Heath - Faraday Management Solutions

Maurice Tidy - Faraday Management Solutions

Investigated by Tony Heath - Faraday Management Solutions

John Head - Refinery Consultant

Ralph Pickering - Gas Consultant

Trevor Heath - QA Consultant

Prepared for Peter Christie - Department of Trade and Industry

Designed & Produced by Graham Crocker - Design Consultant

Research Period November 2002 - January 2003

Date of Publication January 2003

Acknowledgements Its with many thanks and appreciation to the following Companies who

provided the following visual information:

Jacobs Engineering● Flow Scheme for Amine Treatment● Basic Claus Unit Process Block Diagram● Shell Scot Process Block Diagram

Parsons E&C● Total Oil and Gas Production Facilities ● Block Refinery Block Diagram● Gas Processing Block Diagram

SembCorp Simon-Carves● Sulphuric Acid Plant Schematic Flow Diagram

The Natural History Museum, London● Sulphur crystals with crystaline calcite (photograph)● Sulphur crystals (photograph)

Disclaimer Whilst every endeavour has been made to ensure that the information in

this booklet is correct, neither the Department of Trade & Industry nor Trade

Partners UK, nor Faraday Management Solutions Ltd, accepts any

responsibility for inaccuracies whatsoever. The inclusion of a company in this

report is not a recommendation of its fitness to undertake particular projects.

Prepared for Prepared by

Energy Innovation and Business Unit Faraday Management Solutions

Department of Trade & Industry 24 Second Avenue

1 Victoria Street Mortlake

London, SW1E 0ET, UK London, SW14 8QE, UK

Tel: 44 (0) 20 7215 6193 Tel/Fax: 44 (0) 20 8876 7399

Fax: 44 (0) 20 7215 6528 Fax: 44 (0) 20 8876 7399

URL; http://www.dti.gov.uk Email: [email protected]

URL; http://www.faradaymanagementsolutions.com

Faraday Management SolutionsManagement with ideas

Faraday Management Solutions offers a UK and international consultancy

in project management and marketing. Innovative solutions can be delivered

for interim, interface and financial management to the hydrocarbon, power,

utilities and industrial sectors.

For further information please contact:

Maurice Tidy, Marketing:

+44 (0) 1737 373158

Mobile: 07876 591726

Tony Heath, Project Management:

+44 (0) 20 8876 7399

Mobile: 07702 636824

Email: faradaymanagementsolutions.msn.com

URL: http// www.faradaymanagementsolutions.com

FARADAY MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

UK Process Plant CapabilityRemoval of Sulphur from Oil and Gas Fuels

and Sulphur Recovery

Energy Innovation and Business Unit

by Faraday Management Solutions Ltd, January 2003

Sulphur crystals with crystalline calcitein a cavity in limestone (top)

© The Natural History Museum, London

Sulphur crystals (centre)© The Natural History Museum, London

Molecular structure (bottom)

Documents

DTI Sulphur Report 2