Sulphur Industry News

UNITED STATES

Brimstone STS and SRE announce strategic alliance

Brimstone STS Ltd. today announced a new partnership with Sulphur Recovery Engineering Inc (SRE). The two companies say that this collaboration will bring together decades of experience and the latest technology in support of the sulphur recovery and gas treating industry worldwide.

Based in Colorado, USA, Brimstone STS offers specialised services and products for field testing and evaluation of sulphur-related processes in the refining, gas processing, and chemical industries. It also provides expert training and runs its successful Vail Sulphur Recovery Symposium every September, which covers new and existing technologies along with products and services for operation of amine, Claus sulphur recovery, and tail gas treating processes.

SRE is an international engineering field testing and consulting company that helps clients optimise performance of their sulphur recovery units and associated upstream process units. It has also collaborated with Virtual Materials Group, the developer of Symmetry ™ , a hydrocarbon simulation package that includes an SRU sulphur plant simulation package, to model plants that it visits for on-site optimisation.

“Our two companies complement each other very well and the result of this collaboration is a larger, stronger organization that can provide an even wider array of services throughout the world,” says Mike Anderson, President at Brimstone.

“We’re excited about the expanded capabilities and access to decades of information and experience our existing clients will gain from our partnership,” says Don Green, Director at Sulphur Recovery Engineering.

Catalyst plant awarded certificate of excellence

The DuPont Clean Technologies Avon plant in Martinez, California, has been awarded the American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care Certificate of Excellence in recognition of its prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses in 2019. The site manufactures MECS® catalyst for the sulphuric acid industry, which has been in production at this site since 1970. DuPont recorded zero fatalities, zero days away from work cases, and zero job transfer or restriction cases at the plant last year for both employees and contractors.

NETHERLANDS

Scrubbers have lower climate impact than low-sulphur fuel

A recent report from research and consultancy organisation CE Delft says that the environmental impact of exhaust gas cleaning (EGC) systems on ships will be less than that of low-sulphur marine fuel. It notes that CO2 emissions associated with producing and installing an EGC system are small compared to those generated when operating the system. The CO2 emissions are mainly related to the energy demand of the system’s pumps, which typically result in a total increase in CO2 emissions of between 1.5 and 3 percent.

By contrast, it says with desulphurised fuels the overall CO2 footprint increase is a result of the refining processes. Theoretical calculations range from an increase in CO2 emissions of 1% to as much as 25% when removing the sulphur content of the fuel. The report states that while the lower figure is not in fact physically possible, the higher percentage increase is applicable only to a quality of fuel that is too high for marine applications. The conclusion, therefore, is that the CO2 emissions associated with the production of low-sulphur marine fuels will be between these extreme values.

“This study provides a comprehensive overview of the climate impacts of different options to reduce sulphur emissions. It shows that in many cases, the carbon footprint of using a scrubber is lower than low-sulphur fuels,” said Jasper Faber, Project Manager at CE Delft.

Research has indicated that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping have increased by more than 10% in the last five years. These emissions are projected to increase by up to 50% by 2050, which means that if the International Maritime Organization’s goal to significantly lower the industry’s GHG emissions is to be achieved, scrutiny of all aspects of shipping is necessary.

RUSSIA

Gazpromneft installs wet scrubbing technology

The Gazpromneft Omsk refinery in Siberia has installed BELCO® wet scrubbing technology licensed by DuPont Clean Technologies as part of a fluidised catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) revamp in order to remove process impurities from the flue gas emitted by the FCCU, reducing air emissions well below detection limits. The wet scrubber was an important part of a large-scale modernisation project that Gazpromneft began at the Omsk refinery in 2008. One of the aims of the project was to systematically introduce technologies that reduce the refinery’s environmental impact. DuPont says that the BELCO technology design also allowed the Omsk Oil Refinery to solve a challenging installation and plot space problem for the gas cleaning section. Thanks to the scrubber design, which is contained in a single upflow tower, the refinery was able to simply dismantle a pre-existing 70m tall, brick flue stack and install the scrubber on the previous chimney foundations.

The scrubber uses a proprietary design consisting of a water spray tower equipped with a filtering module and droplet separators. Larger particulates and SO2 are removed in the spray tower, and fine particulate is removed in the filtering module section, so that only cleaned flue gas leaves the tower. The process is fully automated, and the system comes with built-in control analysers that allow for constant online monitoring.

“The Omsk Refinery was one of the first refineries in Russia to use this state-of-theart fluid catalytic cracking regenerator flue gas cleaning technology. This is an exclusively environmental protection project that supports our high standards of environmental safety,” said Oleg Belyavsky, General Director of the Omsk Refinery.

Nornickel presents SO2 remediation programme

Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel) has presented a comprehensive $1.15 billion five year upgrade programme on its copper refining operations at its Monchegorsk site south of Murmansk. Chief operating officer COO Sergey Dyachenko and vice president and head of Nornickel’s Kola division Evgeny Borzenko presented the upgrade programme to Andrey Chibis, Governor of the Murmansk Region. The project is a part of the company’s strategy to revamp and replace obsolete and polluting technologies and reduce its emissions of sulphur dioxide. The company’s strategic goal is to reduce SO2 emissions at both of its Kola Peninsula sites by 85% in 2021 compared to 2015, when emissions totalled 155,000 t/a.

As a part of the upgrade programme, the nickel refinery at the Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company (Kola MMC, a subsidiary of Nornickel) will undergo a major revamp, which will help minimise the facility’s environmental footprint. New copper production will start on the Kola Peninsula in 2025. Nornickel intends to increase copper output from 75,000 t/a to 200,000 t/a, making the Monchegorsk site one of Nornickel’s largest copper refining facilities.

Nornickel has come under pressure from the Finnish government to deal with SO2 emissions on the Kola Peninsula. It has also faced criticism in Russia after melting permafrost led to a large diesel spill at its Nadezhda plant at Norilsk in western Siberia earlier in the year. The Nadezhda plant is the largest single emitter of SO2 in the world, and as part of its remediation programme, Nornickel has begun its Sulphur Project in conjunction with Russian construction and engineering company STEP. The project aims to reduce SO2 emissions at the site by 45% and increase SO2 recovery to 99% by 2022. The SO2 will be captured and made into acid which will then be neutralised with natural limestone to form gypsum.

“Shutting down and upgrading outdated production facilities while also building new production is vital both for the company’s efficiency and its sustainable development,” said Evgeny Borzenko, VP and head of Nornickel’s Kola Division. “The programme places great importance on the environment. By upgrading copper refining facilities in Monchegorsk, we will enhance the positions of Kola Division and Nornickel as a whole in copper production. This will also be a solution to curb air emissions generated by the metallurgical plant. I cannot emphasise enough just how important this project is.”

MIDDLE EAST

Gas mega-projects face major risks

In a new report, the Arab Petroleum Investment Corporation (Apicorp), the investment fund of the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), says that the ongoing oil market crisis and Covid issues have not so far had a detrimental effect on sour gas investments in the Middle East and North Africa. Apicorp reports that overall gas investments have been steady in 2020 compared to 2019, with planned investments showing an increase of 29% to reach $126 billion. The main driver for the current increase in investment is a regional drive for cleaner power generation and the use of natural gas and condensates as a feedstock for the petrochemical industry.

However, Apicorp says that globally gas demand has been hit by Covid-19 and associated lockdowns and recession, and has decreased by 4%, with Asia, the US, and Europe the most affected continents. This has put fiscal pressure on government and private sectors alike, and Apicorp says it expects a few committed projects to continue facing strong headwinds in terms of payments, supply chain issues, and potential project delays. Low and volatile oil prices also pose risks for regional gas investments.

Major regional gas players such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran are still committed to their respective gas investments. The UAE also is committed to its $22 billion gas development masterplan, which includes unconventional and sour gas projects. Qatar’s huge $22 billion planned investment is still on the table, but some question the viability and commercial attractiveness of Doha’s LNG expansion in the light of a global LNG glut. Apicorp expects that other regional national oil companies will take the same route as ADNOC, which sold a minority stake in its gas pipeline assets for $20.7 billion to international investors.

CANADA

Keyera commissions Pipestone gas plant

Keyera Corp. says that it has started up its Pipestone sour gas processing and liquids stabilisation plant located west of Grande Prairie, Alberta. The plant has been a joint effort with Ovintiv Inc. (formerly Encana Corp.) to support Keyera’s condensate-focused Pipestone Montney development. The 200 million scf/d gas plant, which also features 24,000 bbl/d of condensate processing and associated water disposal installations, as well as acid gas reinjection capability, entered operation five months ahead of its original schedule and at budgeted costs on October 13th, Keyera said.

“This project aligns with Keyera’s strategy of building a stronger presence in the liquids-rich Montney development, which is one of the most economic developments in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin,” said David Smith, Keyera’s chief executive officer. “With our Pipestone, Wapiti and Simonette gas plants, Keyera has infrastructure in the area providing 950 million cubic feet per day of gas processing capacity and 90,000 barrels per day of condensate processing capacity. In the future, this capacity will be connected to our KAPS natural gas liquids and condensate pipeline that we expect to have in service in 2023. We look forward to continuing to work with Ovintiv to support their important development in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.”

NIGERIA

Axens selected for BUA refinery project

Nigeria’s food, mining, manufacturing and infrastructure company BUA Group has awarded Axens a contract for the supply of process technologies for BUA’s new 200,000 bbl/d greenfield refinery and associated petrochemicals facility in Nigeria. The integrated project aims at producing Euro-V fuels and polypropylene for the domestic and regional market. Axens will provide advanced technology licenses, basic engineering, catalysts and adsorbents, proprietary equipment, training and technical services.

GERMANY

Evonik buys Porocel Group

Evonik Industries AG has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Porocel Group for $210 million to accelerate the growth of its catalysts business. Based in Houston, Texas, Porocel offers a technology for rejuvenation of desulphurisation catalysts, which are in increasing demand to produce low-sulphur fuel. Rejuvenation reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 50% compared with the production of new catalysts, according to Porocel. Porocel also has spare production capacity, enabling Evonik to speed up expansion of its existing business with fixed bed catalysts.

“This acquisition is the next logical step in the strategic development of our portfolio. Our focus is on stable and high-margin specialty chemicals,” said Christian Kullmann, chairman of Evonik’s executive board. “We are systematically expanding the share of our specialty businesses – and that at an attractive valuation.”

IRAN

South Pars phase 12 producing 260 t/d of sulphur

Phase 12 of Iran’s South Pars gas field – its largest – has produced 14 billion cubic meters of gas during the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year (March-September), according to the operating company. Speaking to Iranian media, plant director Mohammad-Mehdi Hashemi said that the refinery had also produced more than 47,200 tonnes of sulphur over that period. According to Hashemi, the annual maintenance operations on the gas processing plant have been completed despite complications created by the coronavirus outbreak, and it is ready to operate at full capacity during the cold season. The gas plant receives 46 million m3 /d of gas from South Pars phases 22-24 and produces over 40 million m3 /d of sweet gas, as well as 260 t/d of sulphur.

BELARUS

Sulphur plant at Mozyr near completion

According to local press reports, construction and installation work on a new sulphur plant at the Mozyr refinery’s new heavy oil hydrocracking complex are approaching completion. Off-site utilities are complete and a hydrogen plant which forms part of the $1.2 billion complex is almost ready for commissioning. The sulphur unit is reported to be 99% complete, and the hydrocracking unit itself 80% complete, with construction and installation work in progress and hydrostatic pipeline testing under way.

CHINA

Sinopec starts up alkylation unit

Sinopec Qilu’s refinery in Zibo, Shandong province has successfully started up a new alkylation unit. The DuPont Clean Technologies-designed STRATCO® alkylation unit will produce 400,000 t/a of alkylate product from an MTBE raffinate feedstock and will enable the production of low-sulphur, high-octane alkylate with zero olefins that meets the China V standard.

QATAR

Mesaieed refinery begins producing ULSD

State-owned Qatar Petroleum has begun producing ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) at its 137,000 bbl/d refinery at Mesaieed, following the completion of work to upgrade the diesel hydrotreating unit at the plant. The upgrade means that the Mesaieed refinery can now produce diesel with less than 10 ppm sulphur content, which meets e5 emission standards. Previously Qatar Petroleum could only produce ULSD at its 146,000 bbl/d Ras Laffan 2 refinery. The new ULSD produced at Mesaieed will primarily be for the domestic Qatari market, allowing Ras Laffan to supply low sulphur diesel for export. A revamp of Mesaieed’s sulphur recovery section to boost capacity to 310 t/d was part of the upgrade.

“We are pleased to announce this new addition to our products, which supports two of our strategic objectives – continuous efficiency improvements and environmental excellence,” QP chief executive Saad Sherida al-Kaabi said.