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Multidisciplinary thinking
Innovative fuel gas sulphur-removal technology helps meet Californian regulations
The state of California has a history of leading the USA in developing strategies to reduce air pollution. One recent development is the requirement by California’s South Coast Air Quality Management District that specifies fuel gas with a maximum of 40‑ppmv total sulphur for the area’s refineries.
Refineries are familiar with removing hydrogen sulphide from fuel gas by traditional gas-treating processes such as amine or merox technologies. However, achieving total sulphur removal presents a greater challenge because the processes that work for hydrogen sulphide removal are not as efficient at removing other sulphur compounds. As commercially proven technology was unavailable, Shell Global Solutions investigated the problem at the request of an internal customer.
Refinery fuel gas varies considerably in composition, as Vito Bavaro, Regional Manager, Hydroprocessing, Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc., explains, “The fuel used is a cocktail of light gases produced by the different refinery processes, and that means there are many potential sources and contaminants to deal with. We needed a process that was robust under a wide range of operating conditions.”
