Research advancements in sulfide scavengers for oil and gas sectors

Abstract

Abstract Sulfide species (inorganic and organic sulfides) are well known for their toxicity and corrosiveness. Several industries, including oil and gas, are prone to corrosive damage due to sulfides that necessitate their timely removal using appropriate methods. Employing chemical scavengers is the most suitable method where the scavenger combine with dissolved sulfides in aqueous/hydrocarbon phase and convert them to a nontoxic and less corrosive form that can be easily removed from the stream. Instead of direct chemical scavenger addition, different approaches, including absorption and adsorption methods, are employed in eliminating sulfide species from gas streams in different industrial applications. This review provides a detailed account of various sulfide scavengers used in oil and gas sweetening. Most recent research advancements in this area are highlighted. A brief account of the latest reported works on novel adsorbents for the desulfurization process for refinery fuels is also provided. The review ends with a short discussion on catalytic hydrodesulfurization.