H2S is corrosive to downhole and topside oil and gas production facilities. Its presence in natural gas is also limited to very low levels due to sales specifications. Its concentration in the reservoir sometimes increases with time due to the phenomenon known as reservoir souring. One way to control the levels of H2S and mitigate its effects in oil and gas production facilities is to inject non-regenerative liquid H2S scavengers at suitable points in the system with the expectation of having the H2S concentration reduced below target levels before the fluid reaches certain points. Therefore, the scavenging capacity and kinetics need to be considered when selecting an H2S scavenger for specific applications.
This paper presents results from an extensive test program conducted to evaluate the effect of different parameters (e.g., H2S concentration, scavenger concentration, water cut, type of hydrocarbon) on both the H2S scavenging capacity and kinetics of several chemical products at conditions simulating a specific field application.
The H2S concentration in produced fluids sometimes increases with time due to the phenomenon known as reservoir souring. This increase in H2S poses an integrity threat to downhole and topside oil and gas production facilities due to its impact in corrosion and environmental cracking susceptibility. Its concentration in natural gas is also limited to very low levels due to sales specifications.
One way to control the levels of H2S and mitigate its effects in oil and gas production facilities is to inject non-regenerative liquid H2S scavengers at suitable points in the system, with the expectation of having the H2S concentration reduced below target levels before the fluid reaches certain points. Therefore, the scavenging capacity and kinetics need to be considered when selecting an H2S scavenger for specific applications.
It has been recognized that some parameters may have significant effect on the H2S scavenging performance.1-3 Understanding the effect that different parameters have on the H2S scavenging capacity and kinetics is critical to making informed decisions when selecting a specific treatment program in the field.
