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Subject description:

Instructor responsible for the lecture plan: MMH/MMLecture objective:

Trainees should recognise H2S characteristics and familiarise them-selves on means of
treatment and protection. The trainee should be able to handle himself properly when exposed
to H2S environment and be able to help him and other through the use of buddy system.

Lecture criteria:

Subject reference:
Maersk H2S Manual

TimeTopic descriptionAccessories

Known H2S areas in the oil industry

Hydrogen Sulphide, could be encountered and released when drilling in a formation or carrying-
out work-over.

The bulk of sulphur on earth is found in sediments and rocks in form of sulphate and sulphate
minerals. The oceans constitute the most significant reservoir of sulphur in the form of inorganic
sulphate.

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Other H2S potential Industries:
 Animal fat and food processors.
 Fishing vessels when over loaded or when the freezing system is not efficient.
 Livestock farm (animal waste).
 Mining industries at deep formations.
 Natural gas production.
 Septic tanks & sewage plant as a by-product of the degradation process (Residues in the
system).

O-H # 1

O-H # 2H2S characteristics

 Extremely toxic
 Colourless gas at atmospheric temperature.
 Heavier than air in pure concentration
 Readily disperses by the wind
 When in small concentrations smells like rotten egg.
 Soluble in water at 2.9 times the volume of water at 20 degree centigrade and can then be
highly corrosive to certain materials (DP/DC).
 Burns with blue flame and produces sulphur dioxide (SO2) which is just as poisonous as
H2S.
 Ignition temperature is 500 degree F. or 260 degree C.

H2S – gas relative density (1.18)

When H2S – gas burns

H2S gas explosive range: H2S forms an explosive mixture with air between 4.3 and 45.5 % of
H2S of the volume concentration

H2S Gas Explosive limits

Diesel = 1 – 1.2%
Gasoline = 1 – 7%
Methane = 5 – 15%

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H2S gas = 4 – 46%
LEL (lower explosive limit) = 4%
UEL (upper explosive limit) = 46%

O-H # 3

O-H # 4

O-H # 5

O-H # 6The unit ppm ?

 PPM 0 parts per million
 1 PPM corresponds to 1 mm in 1 kilometer.
OR
 1 second in 11 days, 13 hrs 46 minutes and 40 seconds.
 1 PPM = 0.0001 %
 20 PPM = 0.002 %
 1000 PPM = 0.1 %

O-H # 7

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Personal factorEffect on individuals

 0.13 PPM: Minimum perceptible odour.
 10 PPM: Beginning eye irritation.
 100 PMM: Loss of sense of smell, coughing.
 500 PPM: loss of consciousness, possible death within an hour.
 700 PPM: Rapid loss of consciousness and respiration.
 1000 PPM: Unconscious at once, death occur almost at once.

When a person breathes in H2S it goes directly through the lungs into the blood.

When breathing H2S in high concentration it builds-up in the body and the person becomes
poisoned.

The centre of the brain, which controls respiration, may be stunned, and the lungs stop working
and the person is asphyxiated.

Different factors will affect the individual person’s susceptibility to H2S:

 Duration: The length of time the person is exposed.
 Frequency: The number of times the person has been exposed.
 Intensity: The amount of H2S (concentration) the person is exposed to.
 Susceptibility: The person’s condition and individual susceptibility.

O-H # 8

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O-H # 9

H2S health safety and environment rules – limit values

In the Danish sector the allowable exposure
8 hrs TWA = 10 PPM
15 minutes STEL = 20 PPM

Osha allowable exposure

8 hrs TWA = 10 PPM
10 minutes STEL = 15 PPM

NB: the alarm is usually set at 10 ppm

O-H # 10

O-H # 11

Comparing toxic gases

Comparing toxic gases table

O-H # 12

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What is the unit pH?

pH is an expression (a number) that gives a liquids relative
Acidity, or alkalinity.
pH- units will decrease with increasing acidity by the factor
Of 10.
Acidity Neutral Alkaline

Low pH pH = 7 High pH

Maintain high pH

By mixing caustic soda pH increases.

H2S + NAOH  NAHS + H2O

At pH <7 the chemical balance forms H2S
In the pH range between 7 to 12,the chemical Balance
Forms NaHS.
When H2S enters the drilling fluid it is important to maintain
The pH above 10.

O/H#16

O/H#17

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Scavengers

Zinc carbonate
Alkaline drilling fluid system:

H2S + NaoH  NaHS + H2O

Adding scavenger:

ZnCO3 + NaHS  NaHCO3 +ZnS

The Zinc sulphide product is very stable and does not Regenerate the H2S – even when
pH drops to 3.5.
ZnCO3 ZINC CARBONATE.
NaHS Sodium hydrogen sulphide.
NaHCO3 Sodium hydrogen Carbonate.
ZnS Zinc Sulphide.

O/H#18

Scavengers
Ironite sponge
Ironite sponge can be add in combination with zinc carbonate
Ironite sponge is then a “back-up” H 2S scavenger, that is Efficient at low pH.
Fe2o3 Ironite sponge.
Fe3o4 Ironite sponge.
The residuals after a Ironite sponge treatment can be:
S Sulphur.
FeS Iron sulphide.
FeS2 Iron pyrites.

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O/H#19

Sulphide Stress Cracking-SSC

Brittle failure by cracking under the combined action of tensile
Stress and corrosion in the presence of water and H 2S.
When hydrogen molecules are formed from the hydrogen ions and the electrons a volume
expansion takes place.
Reaction:
H2s => H+ + H+ + 2e- S
H+ + H+ + 2e- = Vol. 1
H2 = Vol. 20
V1 x 20 = V2

Cracking of steel caused by the combined action of corrosion and

Tensile stress (residual or applied).

Simplified chemical reaction :

H2S + Fe  FeS + H2

H2S Hydrogen Sulphide O/H#15

.
Fe Iron.
FeS Iron Sulphide.
H2 Hydrogen.

O/H#13

O/H#14

Elasteromeric packing (rubber element)

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Elastomer are deteriorated quicker when exposed to H 2s – gas
Elastomer packing become hard and brittle
Elastomer packing have to be exchanged more often then usual
IF possible metal seals (H2s trim) can be used, neoprene
O/H#15

Stepwise first aid

Steps to follow for all emergencies

Contacting the supervisor
ABC’s for life threatening injuries
CPR
Care for chock

O/H#20

O/H#21

Detection equipment
Fixed equipment:
- Locations
Bell nipple – flow line
Shale shaker

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Mud pit
Test Area
Air intake accommodation

- Types
Draeger Sulfytron 4010 EC & extension facilities
Sensor head
Central Unit & Channel card
Electrochemical H2S sensor head

- Measuring limits
- Systems provided with alarms
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1010
101010 10P10@10A10

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