Phased investment 
for H2S removal

Oct-2008

Awareness of H2S removal process steps and how they can be combined to reduce costs compared to the use of a single sweetening unit operation

An optimum line-up for sour gas processing

Apr-2010

Analysis of technical, economic and licensing considerations in the selection of an optimum gas treating line-up recommends a choice of technologies

Direct oxidation sulphur recovery process for very lean acid gas applications

Jun-2016

Due to higher demand in desulphurisation and new environmental regulations, Companies need to find robust and efficient technologies while considering ...

How glycols affect acid gas removal

Oct-2013

How to control the amine unit’s full acid gas capture performance over time and so avoid operational surprises involving glycol build-up

Combining acid gas treating and amine tail gas treating (TIA)

Oct-2015

One of the challenges in designing a natural gas treatment plant is to optimise the combination of the acid gas removal (AGR) unit and the sulphur recovery ...

Amine cleaning in gas treating

Jul-2020

Effective amine cleaning requires a three-step filtration system

Selective FCC naphtha desulphurisation

Apr-1999

By combining specially designed catalyst and process technology, the SCANfining process selectively removes sulphur from FCC naphthas while preserving ...

High sulphur recovery with ease 
of operation

Jan-2015

A process performing sulphur recovery and tail gas treatment in two catalytic reactor units exceeded guaranteed recovery limits from start-up.

Gasoline and diesel imbalances in the Atlantic Basin: part II

Oct-2011

Options to re-orientate a refinery’s production towards middle distillates. European refineries currently produce a surplus of gasoline and insufficient ...

Digitalisation in refining and petrochemicals

Dec-2019

The introduction of IIoT technologies is helping two companies improve their decision making and performance.

History and origins of sulphur blocking

Oct-2011

Although sulphur blocks may not always be the first thing to come to mind when asked to consider the critical components of a hydrocarbon processing operation, ...

FCC gasoline desulphurisation for Tier 3 sulphur compliance

Sep-2017

FCC gasoline desulphurisation is used widely in refineries around the world. It is growing in importance because of new regulations that require sulphur ...

Newly completed sulfur project at SAMREF refinery

Mar-2018

Case study of newly completed sulphur project at SAMREF refinery. SAMREF (Saudi Aramco ExxonMobil Refinery) recently completed the design and successful ...

Regenerable tail gas treatment

Nov-2016

Cost assessment of tail gas treating technologies that recycle H2S or SO2 to the Claus unit.

Fast turnaround for a SRU tail gas scrubber

Oct-2011

Reuse of groundwork and equipment, as well as previous experience in meeting permitting regulations enabled an 18-week turnaround of a tail gas scrubb ...

Claus sulphur recovery options

Apr-1997

This article examines some Claus modifications which can alleviate operational difficulties and improve overall sulphur recovery

Three ways to effectively monitor total chlorine in liquid hydrocarbons

Feb-2018

Corrosion at petroleum refineries is a critical problem all over the world. In the United States alone, NACE International, a professional association ...

Key steps for refiners ahead of IMO 2020 (ERTC)

Nov-2017

The reality is that many refiners remain unprepared for IMO MARPOL 73/78 Annex VI (IMO 2020). These regulations, which will substantially tighten the global ...

Challenges in producing BS-VI diesel

Mar-2018

An Indian refiner describes the technical challenges of meeting a leap in
fuel quality specification.

Coping with sulphur and water in naphtha isomerisation feeds

Apr-1999

An examination of the operational and economic benefits of an isomerisation process employing a superior water and sulphur tolerant catalyst in particular, ...

Reducing harmful emissions

Sep-2015

In order to comply with ever-tightening regulations, shipping operators must find ways to reduce atmospheric emissions. Carrying as much as 90% of world ...

Membrane separation for clean fuels

Jul-2004

An illustration of how membrane separation technology can be integrated into a clean fuel strategy at low capital cost relative to hydrotreating

Pushing the limits of FCC gasoline desulphurisation

Jul-2016

The goal of FCC gasoline desulphurisation to desulphurise FCC gasoline with minimum octane loss. The process uses conventional naphtha hydrotreating and ...

GSR the only proven FCC catalysts and additives for gasoline sulphur reduction

May-2015

Grace GSR® technologies: D-PriSM®, SuRCA®, and GSR® 5, are the result of nearly two decades of innovation. GSR has been used in over 100 FCC units ...

Revamping hydrogen and sulphur plants to meet future challenges

Oct-2009

Revamp opportunities for hydrogen and sulphur plant operations in the era of clean fuels production offer significant benefits for refiners

Oxygen enriched sulphur recovery

Apr-2015

Revamping its SRU to oxygen enriched operation increased a refiner’s sulphur processing capacity and significantly reduced operating costs.

Sulphuric acid recovery from sulphurous waste streams

Oct-1998

The WSA process is a catalytic system for producing concentrated sulphuric acid from any sulphur-containing offgas, without the use of chemicals

Advanced recycle paraffin isomerisation technology

Apr-2001

An examination of how combining chlorinated catalyst, molecular sieves and well designed process configurations can maximise the value of C5/C6 strea ...

IMO 2020 — the deadline approaches

May-2019

How is the refining industry reacting to the shake-up with less than a year to go? The refining industry has responded to the forthcoming IMO 2020 lower ...

Flexible thinking for capital projects

Jun-2017

Conventional project planning and execution may not be the best approach for gas treating and sulphur recovery installations.

Advanced sulphur analysis in hydrocarbons

Sep-2017

Petra MAX™ delivers advanced D4294 sulphur analysis in addition to 12 elements from P to Zn including Ca, Fe, K, Ni, and V at sub-ppm levels for various ...

Key steps for refiners ahead of IMO 2020 (ERTC)

Nov-2017

The reality is that many refiners remain unprepared for IMO MARPOL 73/78 Annex VI (IMO 2020). These regulations, which will substantially tighten the global ...

Dealing with hydrogenation catalyst poisons

Mar-2018

For stable operation of a pyrolysis gasoline unit, it is crucial to know the effects of poisons and inhibitors on catalyst performance and how to counteract ...

Sulphur tail gas thermal oxidiser systems

Dec-2008

SRUs (sulphur recovery units) in refineries and gas plants remove sulphur compounds from sulphur containing fuel gases and from natural gas and crude oil ...

Improving reaction furnace performance with the Blasch VectorWall mixing checkerwall

Sep-2013

Operators of large refractory lined combustion chambers, whether used as primary reaction furnaces, thermal oxidisers in tail gas units or miscellaneous ...

Kinetic engine drives catalyst development

Apr-2016

Development of a NiMo catalyst for medium-to-high and high pressure middle distillates hydrotreating.

Ultra low sulphur analysis in liquid petroleum using MWDXRF

Jan-2018

Tougher regulations are challenging refiners to produce higher quality products while trying to maximise efficiency.

Meeting low sulphur diesel challenges

Dec-2017

Liquid stream hydroprocessing technology enabled a refiner to meet fast-changing diesel sulphur specifications and process a wide variety of feedstock ...

Improving sulphur plant performance

Jun-2017

Strict attention to utilities is critical to ensure safe and reliable sulphur recovery unit operation

Sulphur recovery from lean 
sour gas streams

Nov-2013

Gas streams are often treated with amine or membrane systems to meet specifications before the gas can be sent to a pipeline or used in a fuel gas system. ...

Unload the SRU to reduce plugging problems and operating costs

May-2015

A crude oil refinery may need additional sulphur recovery capacity for any of a combination of reasons:

A step change in tail gas treating unit performance at low cost with SCOT ULTRA

May-2017

Two projects helped a TGT unit to improve its operability and lower operating costs while meeting tough emission requirements.

Designing for sulphur removal and storage: part II

Jul-2010

Selection of technologies for the sulphur block must serve legislative demands and the efficient operation of upstream processes

Improved performance of the Benfield-HiPure process using process simulation

Oct-2013

Natural gas processing plants are an essential part of the energy industry, providing clean burning fuels and valuable chemical feedstock.

How glycols affect acid gas removal

Oct-2013

How to control the amine unit’s full acid gas capture performance over time and so avoid operational surprises involving glycol build-up

Tail gas catalyst performance: part 1

Jul-2014

The first part of a two-part account of time and temperature effects on tail gas catalyst performance provides a background to reaction modelling and pilot ...

Revamping for ULSD production

Apr-2016

A sandwich catalyst system has given the additional activity needed to process difficult feed in a hydrotreater.

Progress in tail gas treatment (TIA)

Oct-2016

The requirement to meet ultra-low SO2 emission standards, even lower than World Bank limits, is becoming more and more prevalent for new natural gas developments ...

Reconsidering the business case for catalytic dewaxing (ERTC)

Jan-2019

Most refineries try to optimise their product mix to satisfy market demand for ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) with good cold flow properties during cold ...

Renewable Identification Numbers, sulphur credit pricing and economics

Dec-2020

Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs) are credits used to certify compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) which requires certain minimum volumes ...