Case Study: a leading independent oil company achieves sour gas sweetening and sulfur recovery with SLB THIOPAQ O&G technology

THIOPAQ O&G Technology Reaps Rewards from Sour Casinghead Gas Stream

SLB worked with a leading independent oil company in the midwestern US to design a new gas processing plant that could economically reduce hydrogen sulfide in casinghead gas from 40,000 ppm to less than 10 ppm. The gas from 234 wells had long been flared, and the project needed a solution that would keep collection, treatment, and processing costs low while still making the recovered LPG economically viable.

SLB implemented THIOPAQ O&G biodesulfurization technology with a mechanical refrigeration unit and scrubbers to remove H2S before chilling the gas. The system oxidized H2S to saleable elemental sulfur, achieved the target economics, kept treated gas consistently below 4 ppm H2S, and delivered 150 bbl/d of LPG plus 200 Mcf/d of residue gas for sale. SLB also helped the operator reduce annual CO2 emissions by 55,114 tons and SO2 emissions by 1,323 tons, while the plant maintained more than 99% availability since startup.