Rarely

Acknowledged
Energy Benefits
of Sulphur
Recovery

Sulphur 2016
London, UK
November 9, 2016
AGENDA
AGENDA
INTRODUCTION
 CRUDE OIL PRICE
$140

$130

$120

$110
(US Dollars per Barrel)

$100
Crude Oil Price

$90

$80

$70

$60

$50

$40

$30

$20
Sep 2011 Sep 2012 Sep 2013 Sep 2014 Sep 2015 Sep 2016

WTI Brent Dubai Crude

 PERSPECTIVES

Sulphur
recovery is
a cost of
production
Sulphur
plant is a
net energy
exporter

Innovation is born out of adversity

Producers who stay focused on efficient, cost effective operations
during challenging times will evolve and become stronger
BENCHMARK
PLANT
 HYPOTHETICAL
‘BENCHMARK’ SULPHUR PLANT
Acid Gas Feed mol% kmol/hr
H2S 60% 1,300
CO2 30% 650
Hydrocarbon (as C1) 1% 22
H2 O 9% 195
Total 100% 2,166
Temperature, °C 54
Pressure, barg 0.69
 BENCHMARK PLANT
KEY DESIGN PARAMETERS
 BENCHMARK PLANT
KEY DESIGN PARAMETERS
 BENCHMARK PLANT
KEY DESIGN PARAMETERS
 BENCHMARK PLANT
CASE A
SRU WHB
Stack Gas
BU R N E R R F
1st 2nd rd
3
REHEATER REHEATER INCINERATOR
Acid 1st nd REHEATER WHB
2 3rd
Gas A C ID G A S CONVERTER CONVERTER CONVERTER BU R N E R
PREHEATER
Fuel

INCINERATOR
1st 2nd 3rd 4th
CONDENSER CONDENSER CONDENSER CONDENSER
C O M BU S T I O N
AIR PREHEATER

STACK

Sulphur
Sulphur

Sulphur

Sulphur
Air
Air
CLAUS AIR INCINERATOR
BLOWER AIR BLOWER

LEGEND

FUEL CONSUMER POWER CONSUMER HP STEAM PRODUCER

HP STEAM CONSUMER LP STEAM PRODUCER LLP STEAM PRODUCER

 BENCHMARK PLANT
CASE B
SRU WHB
BU R N E R R F
1st 2nd 3rd
REHEATER st
1 REHEATER nd
2 REHEATER
Acid 1 s t C BA 2 n d C BA
Gas A C ID G A S CONVERTER CONVERTER
REACTOR REACTOR
PREHEATER

C O M BU S T IO N 1st 2nd 3rd

AIR PREHEATER CONDENSER CONDENSER CONDENSER

Air

Sulphur
Sulphur

Sulphur
CLAUS AIR
BL O W E R

Stack Gas

4th INCINERATOR
CONDENSER WHB
BU R N E R

Fuel
LEGEND

Sulphur
INCINERATOR
FUEL CONSUMER POWER CONSUMER HP STEAM PRODUCER
Air

HP STEAM CONSUMER LP STEAM PRODUCER LLP STEAM PRODUCER

STACK
INCINERATOR
A IR B L O W E R
NOTE: Sub-dewpoint process is shown. Direct oxidation process would produce similar SRE.
 BENCHMARK PLANT
CASES C & D
SRU WHB QUENCH
BU R N E R R F COLUMN
1st nd
2 TGTU
REHEATER REHEATER PREHEATER
Acid 1st 2nd HYDROGENATION
Gas ACID GAS CONVERTER CONVERTER REACTOR QUENCH WATER
PREHEATER AIR COOLER

C O M BU S T I O N
1st 2nd 3rd
AIR PREHEATER
CONDENSER CONDENSER CONDENSER
TGTU
WHE
Air Quench
Water

Sulphur
Sulphur
Sulphur
CLAUS AIR
QUENCH Purge
BLOWER
PUMP

LEAN AMINE
AIR COOLER
A BS O R B E R Stack Gas
CONDENSER REFLUX
DRUM INCINERATOR
LEGEND WHB
L E A N /R I C H BU R N E R
FUEL POWER HP STEAM EXCHANGER REGENERATOR
CONSUMER CONSUMER PRODUCER Fuel

HP STEAM LP STEAM LLP STEAM INCINERATOR

CONSUMER PRODUCER PRODUCER
LP STEAM R E BO I L E R
Air
CONSUMER STACK

RICH AMINE LEAN AMINE INCINERATOR

PUMP PUMP AIR BLOWER
 BENCHMARK PLANT
CASES E & F
SRU WHB QUENCH QUENCH WATER
BU R N E R R F COLUMN TRIM COOLER
1st 2nd TGTU
REHEATER st REHEATER PREHEATER
Acid 1 2nd
HYDROGENATION
Gas A C ID G A S CONVERTER CONVERTER REACTOR QUENCH WATER
PREHEATER AIR COOLER

C O M BU S T I O N
1st 2nd 3rd
AIR PREHEATER
CONDENSER CONDENSER CONDENSER
TGTU
WHE
Air Quench
Water

Sulphur
Sulphur
Sulphur
CLAUS AIR Purge
BL O W E R QUENCH
PUMP

LEAN AMINE
LEAN AMINE AIR COOLER
TRIM COOLER Stack Gas
CONDENSER REFLUX
DRUM INCINERATOR
LEGEND WHB
L E A N /R I C H BU R N E R
FUEL POWER HP STEAM EXCHANGER REGENERATOR
CONSUMER CONSUMER PRODUCER Fuel

HP STEAM LP STEAM LLP STEAM INCINERATOR

CONSUMER PRODUCER PRODUCER
LP STEAM COOLING WATER A BS O R B E R R E BO I L E R
Air
CONSUMER CONSUMER STACK

RICH AMINE LEAN AMINE INCINERATOR

PUMP PUMP AIR BLOWER
 BENCHMARK PLANT
ENERGY BALANCE (MW)
CASE A B C D E F
SRE 97% 99.0% 99.3% 99.9% 99.98% 99.98%
UTILITY
HP Steam +77.4 +78.8 +66.8 +67.0 +67.0 +67.0
LP/LLP Steam +27.2 +27.9 +16.9 +10.6 -57.4 -14.0
Fuel Gas -43.8 -47.1 -38.3 -39.4 -39.6 -39.6
Electric Power -1.8 -1.8 -2.6 -2.8 -4.2 -3.2
Cooling Water --- --- --- --- -27.3 -13.6
UNIT
SRU +62.6 +64.6 +64.3 +64.7 +64.7 +64.7
TGTU --- --- -13.4 -20.0 -116.9 -58.9
INCINERATOR -3.6 -6.8 -8.1 -9.2 -9.3 -9.3
NET EXPORT/IMPORT +59.0 +57.8 +42.8 +35.6 -61.0 -3.2
COMPARISON TO CASE A --- -2% -27% -40% -203% -105%
 BENCHMARK PLANT
ENERGY BALANCE (MW)
 BENCHMARK PLANT
ENERGY KPIs
CASE A B C D E F
SRE 97% 99.0% 99.3% 99.9% 99.98% 99.98%

kWh per Metric Ton ‘S’ Produced +1,458 +1,401 +1,033 +853 -1,477 -85

kWh per Nm3 H2S in Acid Gas Feed +2.02 +1.98 +1.47 +1.22 -2.00 -0.12

Every ton of ‘S’ produced in Claus SRU generates ~1,400 kWh of

thermal energy, but amine-based TGTU erodes this
REAL WORLD
PLANT
CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY BASIS
 CASE STUDY
KEY PROCESS PARAMETERS
DESIGN ACTUAL EXPECTED
Acid Gas Feed (Nm3/h) 82,035 50,208 50,208
Acid Gas H2S Content (mol%) 46.15 49.95 49.95
Sulphur Production (MTPD) 1,300 860.5 860.6
Fuel Gas Co-firing (Nm3/h) 3,452 1,960 300
Preheat & Reheat Temperatures --- Slightly off-design Per design/optimized

RGG Burn Stoichiometry (%) 85 86.5 85

Solvent Concentration (% of design) --- 55 100
Solvent Temperature (oC) 49 43 54
Incinerator Temperature (oC) 650 568 568
Stack Gas O2 Content (%) 2.5 7.5 2.5
 CASE STUDY
KEY DESIGN PARAMETERS
Benchmark Plant (Case D) Real World Plant (Design Case)

• 1,000 MTPD • 1,300 MTPD

• 60 mol% H2S • 46 mol% H2S
CAPACITY &
• 99.90% SRE • 99.91% SRE (operated even higher)
KEY DESIGN
• HP saturated steam (40 barg) • HP saturated steam (41.5 barg)
CONDITIONS
• LP steam (3.5 barg) • LP steam (5.5 barg)
• Air cooling process temp. – 50 oC (min) • Air cooling process temp. – 59 oC (min)

• Air-only operation, without fuel co-firing
• HP steam air preheater
• 2 Claus beds with promoted activated
alumina catalyst
SRU/TGTU
• HP steam preheater in TGTU
• Low temperature hydrogenation catalyst
• Generic MDEA solvent
• Lean solvent temperature of 50oC, via air
cooling only
• Air-only operation, with fuel co-firing
• Fuel-fired air preheater
• 2 Claus beds with promoted activated
alumina catalyst – TiO2 layer in 1st bed
• RGG in TGTU
• Conventional hydrogenation catalyst
• Highly-selective, proprietary solvent
• Lean solvent temperature of 49oC, via air
cooling + refrigerant trim cooling
 CASE STUDY
KEY DESIGN PARAMETERS
Benchmark Plant (Case D) Real World Plant (Design Case)

• 815 oC operating temperature • 650 oC operating temperature

• 2% excess O2 in stack gas • 2.5% excess O2 in stack gas
INCINERATOR • HP saturated steam (40 barg) produced in • HP steam superheating (400 oC) in
incinerator WHB incinerator WHB
• No sulphur pit ejector routed to incinerator • Rundown vessel vent routed to incinerator
 OVERALL ENERGY KPIs
HP Steam LP Steam Fuel Gas Power NET
3,000

2,000 1,865
1,799
1,610
1,460
(kWh per Metric Ton of 'S')

1,000 853

136 219 129

5
0
Energy

-23 -66
-221
-337-250
-584
-1,000
-947
-1,182
-1,421
-2,000

-2,264

-3,000
-3,202

-4,000
Design Actual Expected Case D
 FUEL GAS KPIs
Design Actual Expected Case D
0
-285 -279
-401
-84
-500 -257 -947
-547
(kWh per Metric Ton of 'S')

-637
-563
-1,000 -283
NET = -947
Fuel Gas Energy

-360
NET = -1,182
-1,500
-1,150

-2,000

-1,804 NET = -2,264

-2,500

-3,000

NET = -3,202
-3,500
Combustion Air Preheater Acid Gas Burner Reducing Gas Generator Burner Incinerator Burner
 HP STEAM KPIs
Design Actual Expected Case D
2,500

2,000 275 174

(kWh per Metric Ton of 'S')

NET = 1,865 730

NET = 1,799 97
1,500 NET = 1,610
HP Steam Energy

NET = 1,460

1,000 1,899
1,885
1,620
1,335
500

0 -96
-145 -129 -134 -70
-150 -145 -123 -183
-106
-500

-1,000
Acid Gas Preheater Combustion Air Preheater
SRU WHB 1st & 2nd Reheater
TGTU Reactor Preheater HP Steam Superheater / Incinerator WHB
 LP STEAM KPIs
Design Actual Expected Case D
1,000

800
260
253
(kWh per Metric Ton of 'S')

600
209
568 87
489
LP Steam Energy

400 460
519

200 NET = 219

NET = 136 NET = 129
0
NET = -23

-200 -447
-553
-692 -692
-400

-600

-800
1st & 2nd Sulphur Condenser TGTU Hydrogenation WHE Regenerator Reboiler
 ELECTRIC POWER KPIs
Design Actual Expected Case D
0
-48
-65
-86 -85
-50 -13
-5
-20 NET = -66
(kWh per Metric Ton of 'S')

-100 -20 -20

Electric Power Energy

-113
-150
-135

-200
-23 -202
NET = -221
-250 -10
NET = -250

-300
-28

-350 NET = -337

-400
Claus Air Blowers Pumps & Air Coolers Refrigeration System Incinerator Air Blowers
CASE STUDY SUMMARY
 SUMMARY &
CONCLUSIONS
 SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONS

Some operators already see and exploit the benefits of

their sulphur recovery facilities….will you do the same?
 EXAMPLE
POWER FROM UAE SRUs
CURRENT FUTURE

Total ‘S’
19,000 MTPD 38,000 MTPD
Production

1,050 kWh/ton ‘S’ (as HP Steam) 1,050 kWh/ton ‘S’ (as HP Steam)
830 MW Thermal Power Total 1,660 MW Thermal Power
Claus
Power 500 MW Mechanical Power Total 1,000 MW Mechanical Power

~50% Energy Consumed by TGTU 500 MW Mechanical Power ( w/ TGTU)

SRU/TGTU 250 MW Mechanical Power 750 MW+ (other options?)
Power

Tail gas treating technology selection will significantly impact

power generation potential of future sour gas projects