CA2151663A1 - Hydrogen sulfide removal method and apparatus - Google Patents

Hydrogen sulfide removal method and apparatus

Info

Publication number
CA2151663A1
CA2151663A1 CA 2151663 CA2151663A CA2151663A1 CA 2151663 A1 CA2151663 A1 CA 2151663A1 CA 2151663 CA2151663 CA 2151663 CA 2151663 A CA2151663 A CA 2151663A CA 2151663 A1 CA2151663 A1 CA 2151663A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
vessel
gas
hydrogen sulfide
fluid
structured
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA 2151663
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Leonard E. Mckeary
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of CA2151663A1 publication Critical patent/CA2151663A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
  • Physical Or Chemical Processes And Apparatus (AREA)

Abstract

A method of sweetening low pressure sour gas is provided.
Through the use of a vessel having two layers of structured steel packing therein and filled with a hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid, low pressure sour gas can be percolated therethrough absorbing hydrogen sulfide therin. Heretobefore low pressure sour gas had to be flared or sweetened by first pressurizing it so that it could be motivated through a more considerable depth of hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid in a much more mechanically elaborate and expensive apparatus.

Description

21~16~3 HYDROGEN SULFIDE REMOVAL METHOD AND APPARATUS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to gas sweetening and more particularly to apparatuses and methods used to remove hydrogen sulfide from petroleum gas flowing from a well and ventilated into the atmosphere.

In the oil fields there are many small wells which produce oil together with small amounts of sour gas or gas containing hydrogen sulfide. The small amount of this gas makes it an uneconomical by-product of the oil production. Small amounts of sour gas are also sometimes produced during secondary or tertiary recovery when water is pumped underground to increase the recovery of oil from a field.

The problem is, then, how to economically dispose of this sour gas. The traditional method of disposal has been to incinerate or flare the sour gas. The problem with this method is that it is hazardous, costly, and more costly in remote locations. A 40' stack must be erected and a line supplying propane to a flare at the top of the stack must be installed and kept supplied with propane. Sometimes a carbon filled stack catches on fire. Sometimes the tank also cathes on fire.
Sometimes when a track is sucking oil from the storage tank the flame ignites the oil in the tank and it burns to the ground. In 21516~3 cold weather the line running to the tank may freeze. When this happens, the emergency shut down shuts down the well.

Another viable solution to the problem of the sour gas is to use storage tanks which can withstand pressure. Thus, the sour gas can be stored until it is removed. The problem with this approach is that even old railway tank trucks which are large enough to contain at least a day or two's production are very expensive. Another problem with this approach is that in cold weather the controls sometimes freeze and the well is then shut down, or that the well may be snowed in for more than the period of its two day's storage capacity.

There have been a number of inventions which pump sour gas through a hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid. The problem with all of these inventions is that they are expensive to construct and operate. This expense necessarily follows from the fact that the sour gas must be pumped through them. The sour gas must be pumped because it must be pressurized in order to be able to percolate through a considerable depth of absorption fluid in order to ensure all of the hydrogen sulphide in the gas is fully absorbed. The motorized mechanisms must be ran continuously and serviced regularly. In remote locations power must be generated for their operation. In cold weather, wet gas causes them to freeze up. When this happens, the producing well is automatically shut down.

21516~3 OBJECTS AND STATEMENT OF INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide an economical method of sweetening sour gas with a hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid. It is an object of this invention to provide a method of sweetening low pressure sour gas thereby avoiding the expense and problems associated with pressurizing the sour gas. It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an economical method of sweetening low volumes of sour gas at the well head thereby avoiding the expense of storing the pressurized gas or alternatively maintaining a flare. It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus which is cheaply constructed and operated yet, is effective in absorbing hydrogen sulfide from gas.

One aspect of this invention provides for a method of sweetening sour gas comprising the steps of piping low pressure gas into a vessel beneath a layer of structured packing in the vessel, allowing the gas to percolate through the layer of structured packing where it is mixed with a hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid in the vessel and then, ventilating the gas in the vessel through an opening in the top portion of the vessel to atmosphere.

A more preferred aspect of the invention provides a method comprising the steps of piping low pressure gas into a vessel, providing a layer of structured packing immediately above the gas outlet in the vessel, and partially filling the vessel with a ~l~i663 scavenger so that the gas may percolate through the fluid filled structured packing before being released to atmosphere.

An apparatus is provided for sweetening sour gas with a hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid which comprises a vessel having a top opening, a layer of structured steel packing within the vessel, and means to conduct low pressure gas into the vessel immediately beneath the structured steel packing, wherein use the vessel is partially filled with the hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid partially covering the structured packing so that when the gas percolates through the structured steel packing any hydrogen sulfide therein is absorbed.

Various other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIGURES OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention installed beside a storage tank.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of Figure 1.

The following is a discussion and description of the preferred specific embodiments of this invention, such being made with reference to the drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar parts and/or structure. It should be noted that such discussion and description is not meant to unduly limit the scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning now to the drawings we have a preferred embodiment of the Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Apparatus 20 which is ideal for remote wells which have problematic low volumes of sour gas which must be sweetened. It should be noted that other embodiments of the invention which would utilize larger vessels and contain larger volumes of hydrogen sulfide fluid are economically viable solutions to handling larger sour gas volumes. Alternatively, for intermediate volumes of sour gas, multiple vessels of the type described herein could be employed in parallel, or if pressure permitted in serial connection with a sour gas exhaust line from a storage tank. The apparatus described herein has been approved by the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board for use in the Province of Alberta Canada based on its tested effectiveness.

The hydrogen sulfide removal apparatus 22 is shown next to an oil storage tank 21. When a storage tank 21 is vented to atmosphere through the hydrogen sulfide removal apparatus 22 the tank 21 need not contain any pressure. Compared to a vessel that stores pressurised petroleum it has a much lower capital cost.
The invention 20 comprises a vessel 22 constructed from rolled steel having flat end plates 24. The vessel 22 is generally the size of a 45 gallon drum. It is 4' in height and 2' in diameter.
Generally 20" above its bottom end plate 24 a horizontal perforated plate 26 is tacked therein. The perforated plate 26 supports two cyllindrical layers of structured steel packing 28 each being 7" in thickness. Structured steel packing is only available in 7" thicknesses. One manufacturer of structured steel packing is by Nutter Engineering in Pennsylvania. A 2"
threaded drain valve 30 is screwed into a fitting 32 on a bottom portion of the vessel 22. A means to conduct low pressure gas into the vessel, being a 2" screwed steel inlet pipe 36 provides an inlet opening 38 positioned immediately beneath the structured steel packing for the sour gas 48. An outlet opening 40 is provided by a short 3" outlet pipe 42 having an elbow 43 thereon.
The outlet pipe 42 is welded in and through the top end plate 24.
A deflector plate 44 is provided underneath the outlet pipe 42.

A sight gauge 34 constructed from 3/8" diameter plastic is positioned on the side of the vessel extending from below to above the structured packing 28. The sight gauge 34 enables one to view the height of hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid 46 which is poured through the outlet opening 40 into the vessel 22.

The hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid 46 is capable of scavenging or absorbing hydrogen sulfide from sour gas 48 when the sour gas 48 is slowly percolated through the fluid 46 by means of the structured steel packing 28. Sweet gas 50 rises out of and above the structured steel packing 28. The hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid 46 may be one of several known brands of hydrogen sulfide scavengers marketed by different manufacturers.
However, it has been found that a petroleum based hydrogen sulfide scavenger is more effective in cold temperatures than a formaldehyde based scavenger. The height of the fluid 46 above the inlet opening 26 is critical. As a rule of thumb generally 1 ounce of sour gas 48 pressure is required for each 1" of head of fluid 46 which the sour gas 48 must rise through. It has also been found that it is necessary for sour gas 48 to percolate through at least 12" of hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid 46 in structured steel packing 28 in order for the hydrogen sulfide to be effectively absorbed. Therefore, a minimum of 12 ounces of sour gas 48 pressure is required in order to utilise the invention 20. Accordingly, when sour gas 48 pressure is the minimal 12 oz. then it is necessary to maintain at least, but no more than 12" of fluid 46 height above the inlet opening 26. In addition to maintaining the proper fluid 46 height a second use of the site gauge 34 is in viewing the color of the fluid 46. As the fluid 46 becomes spent it becomes darker in color. It also tends to become heavier, and settles to the bottom of the vessel 22. Accordingly, one can approximate the remaining life or hydrogen sulfide absorbing capability of the fluid 46 in the vessel 22 by viewing its color through the site gauge 34.

I CLAIM:

Claims (15)

1) A method of sweetening sour gas comprising the following steps:
a) piping low pressure gas into a vessel beneath a layer of structured packing in the vessel;
b) allowing the gas to percolate through the layer of structured packing where it is mixed with a hydrogen ? absorption fluid in the vessel and;
c) ventilating the gas in the vessel through an opening in the top portion of the vessel above the structured packing to atmosphere.
2) A method of sweetening sour gas comprising the following steps:
a) piping low pressure gas into a vessel;
b) providing a layer of structured packing immediately above the gas outlet in the vessel;
c) partially filling the vessel with a hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid so that at least a portion of the structured packing is fluid covered so that the gas may percolate through the fluid filled structured packing before thereafter being released into the atmosphere through an opening in the top portion of the vessel.
3) A method as in claim 1 wherein the hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid is a methanol non-formaldehyde based hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid.
4) A method as in claim 1 wherein the vessel has a cylindrical shape.
5) A method as in claim 4 wherein the vessel generally has the dimensions of a 45 gallon drum.
6) A method as in claim 5 wherein the vessel is provided with a valve in its bottom portion in order to drain spent fluid.
7) A method as in 8 further comprising a fluid level sight gauge so that the fluid level and color may be monitored.
8) A method as in claim 7 wherein the sight gauge comprises plastic tubing.
9) A method as in claim 7 wherein the structured packing is positioned in the upper central portion of the vessel so that the vessel may contain a larger volume of hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid.
10) An apparatus for sweetening sour gas with a hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid comprising:
a) a vessel having a top opening;
b) a layer of structured steel packing within the vessel; c) means to conduct low pressure gas into the vessel immediately beneath the structured steel packing wherein use the vessel is partially filled with the hydrogen sulfide absorption fluid partially covering the structured packing so that when the gas percolates through the structured steel packing any hydrogen sulfide therein is absorbed.
11) An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the vessel is generally the size and shape of a 45 gallon drum.
12) An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the means to conduct the low presure gas into the vessel is a 2" steel pipe.
13) An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the vessel is fitted with a drain valve on its bottom portion in order to drain spent hydrogen absorption fluid.
14) An apparatus as in claim 13 further comprising a vertical site gauge in order to observe the level and color of fluid in the vessel.
15) A vessel as in claim 14 wherein the site gauge is made of plastic tubing.
CA 2151663 1994-09-26 1995-06-13 Hydrogen sulfide removal method and apparatus Abandoned CA2151663A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US31212494A 1994-09-26 1994-09-26
US08/312,124 1994-09-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2151663A1 true CA2151663A1 (en) 1996-03-27

Family

ID=23209989

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA 2151663 Abandoned CA2151663A1 (en) 1994-09-26 1995-06-13 Hydrogen sulfide removal method and apparatus

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2151663A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103611393A (en) * 2013-11-27 2014-03-05 天津大学 Equipment and method for directly desulfurizing low-pressure gas

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN103611393A (en) * 2013-11-27 2014-03-05 天津大学 Equipment and method for directly desulfurizing low-pressure gas

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