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Posted on Case Study

CASE STUDY: Emergency Wastewater Treatment

Refinery Fire Incident. A lightning strike ignited a large above-ground crude oil storage tank. Putting out the fire involved millions of gallons of contaminated water and foam, which had to be sequestered and stored for treatment.  

This case study covers how the Streamline ThunderOx Sulfide Elimination System (TSES™) was quickly deployed and treated millions of gallons of contaminated water and reclaimed faster than alternatives. The process yielded harmless elemental sulfur with no negative environmental impact.  

Download:
Emergency Wastewater Treatment Case Study

Solutions Page: Emergency Wastewater Treatment

Contact
Clayton Sullivan
Vice President – Water
Streamline Innovations, Inc.
stewart.north@streamlineinnovations.com
(888) 787-6569

About Streamline Innovations

Streamline Innovation’s vision is Reducing Emissions Through Technology.  We help heavy industry around the world achieve environmental performance objectives, improve sustainability, and transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.

TIME Magazine ranked Streamline in 6th place out of 250 companies included in TIME’s inaugural list of America’s Top GreenTech Companies 2024. This prestigious recognition is presented by TIME and Statista, Inc., a leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. 

H2S is present in almost every industrial process in the world.  Our technology can be applied across industries, delivering a sustainable solution that eliminates H2S, the leading cause of acid rain, a deadly greenhouse gas dangerous for work and living environments.

Streamline believes that achieving the E (“Environmental”) in ESG requires data. Creating intelligent systems that operate effectively and efficiently without human intervention is critical to reducing emissions that harm the environment.   We integrate advanced data collection, process control, and analytics in our technologies to provide a total solution for customers.

We serve organizations in multiple sectors, including Energy/Oil & Gas, Biogas, Landfill Gas & Renewable Fuels, Municipal Wastewater and Industrial Air & Water.

Categories Case Study, Chemicals & Refining, Liquid Redox, Odor Control, Talon Sulfide Elimination System, Wastewater Treatment
Posted on Biogas

VALKYRIE® H2S Treating for Reducing Emissions in Oil and Gas Production

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is produced from the decomposition of plant and animal matter, with around 90 percent of H2S emissions being naturally sourced. Hot springs and volcanoes also release substantial amounts of H2S. Natural gas containing significant levels of sulfur is termed “sour” and requires treatment before it can be distributed to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. Untreated H₂S is typically flared for safety reasons and to convert it into less dangerous pollutants, but the practice still generates emissions.  

How Sour is Sour?  

Natural gas produced from oil and gas wells is approximately 70-90 percent methane and contains up to 20 percent of heavier hydrocarbons, including ethane, butane, and propane. Gas produced from an oil or gas well typically contains other contaminants, too, including water vapor, sand, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and in many cases, hydrogen sulfide.  

There is no one set definition of what constitutes “sour” gas, because concentration levels can vary widely from area to area. The Texas Railroad Commission, however, defines sour gas as having an H2S concentration of 100 ppm or more as noted in Statewide Rule 36, which provides  provides sour gas operating requirements to safeguard worker and community safety (source: Statewide Rule 36).  

READ MORE: What Makes an H2S Treating Solution “Green”?

How Does Sour Gas Cause Emissions?  

Sour gas presents a threat to both human health and infrastructure. Sour gas production must be produced and transported using equipment specialized for “sour service,” treated and coated to withstand the corrosive effects of sour gas and is subject to stringent maintenance regimes. In some cases, very high levels of H2S contamination (10,000 ppm or greater) may require onsite gas treatment to reduce H2S to lower levels suitable for sour service handling. Otherwise, these assets cannot be produced.  

Traditionally, sour gas has been flared or combusted to transform the contaminated gas into less harmful substances. However, flaring sour gas produces other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO₂), which contributes to acid rain; volatile organic compounds (VOCs); and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which can react with particulates and sunlight to form ozone. Additionally, incomplete combustion may release raw H2S into the atmosphere. 

Restrictions on flaring are increasingly stringent due to both regulatory mandates and voluntary industry efforts. For instance, the North Dakota Industrial Commission, which regulates the Oil and Gas industry in that state, requires operators to capture 90% of produced gas and reduce flaring. In New Mexico, the Oil Conservation Commission requires upstream and midstream operators to reduce routine natural gas flaring and venting by 98% by 2026.  

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has also recently revised its emissions regulations in NSPS OOOOb and EG OOOOc, aiming to phase out all non-emergency flaring in the future. 

Many operators have committed to voluntary emissions reduction programs. The Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 (OGMP 2.0) has emerged as an influential industry group who members include many large operators with producing assets in the United States and worldwide. OGMP 2.0 has developed a framework for estimating and reporting emissions from oil and gas operations, including emissions from tank venting, purging, and flaring.  

Gas Sweetening 

The process of treating sour natural gas to remove H2S so it can be sold instead of flared, generating emissions, is called “sweetening.”  

In our article, Gas Sweetening, Sour Gas Treatment Strategies by Volume, we identified the three primary categories of traditional gas treating methods for removing H₂S from produced gas, including (a) scavengers and adsorbents, (b) catalytic reactions, and (c) mechanical destruction or injection. These methods, however, have numerous downsides, including: 

  • Create negative downstream processing effects. 
  • Require the use of chemicals that can be expensive and present a safety risk. 
  • Require the disposal of contaminated media, creating environmental and safety risks. 
  • Operational complexity, requiring frequent oversight on location and problem solving. 

Valkyries Reduce Oil & Gas Emissions Using Next Generation Liquid Redox for H2S Treating 

The Liquid Redox (Reduction-Oxidation) process converts H₂S into elemental sulfur and water vapor byproducts using chemistry (Reduction) that can be regenerated and used again with exposure to air (Oxidation). 

Using a Next Generation Liquid Redox process, sour gas is directed into a treating vessel containing specialized chemistry and then exits the system sweet (without H₂S) into a gas sales line. The elemental sulfur byproduct is filtered out of the liquid, and the chemistry is then regenerated with exposure to oxygen. The regenerated chemistry is then recirculated back into the treating vessel to perform the reaction again. The regenerative nature of the chemistry reduces media changes, disposal costs and reduces chemical handling requirements on the well site. 

The VALKYRIE® H₂S treating solution from Streamline Innovations utilizes relatively recent technological advances in automation control to create the “Next Generation Liquid Redox” system. The VALKYRIE system utilizes TALON® chemistry, our non-toxic, biodegradable Redox chemistry. 

VALKYRIE technology is a true green solution, by reducing the flaring of sour gas and related emissions at oil and gas production sites by converting H₂S into harmless byproducts, including elemental sulfur certified for use in food production.  

READ MORE: Streamline’s Sulfur from H2S Receives Listing as an input for Organic Food Production 

The Streamline VALKYRIE H₂S removal system is the next generation of Liquid Redox (Reduction-Oxidation) to cost-efficiently help oil and gas operators unlock the value of sour gas resources and reduce emissions from oil and gas operations. 

VALKYRIE Technology Applications 

VALKYRIE H₂S treating units for sour gas sweetening and reducing emissions from oil and gas operations are suitable for a variety of oil and gas applications, including:  

  • De-bottlenecking sour gas takeaway constraints with onsite H₂S treating. 
  • Fuel gas conditioning for Gas Lift to minimize sweet gas buyback. 
  • Tail Gas treating. 

VALKYRIE gas treating units have been operating reliably for oil and gas producers in the Permian Basin and elsewhere, including Chevron Corporation, Franklin Mountain Energy, and Taprock Energy, among others. 

Benefits of the VALKRYIE gas treating system: 

  • A green solution that converts H₂S into benign substances including water and elemental sulfur. 
  • Universal application for biogas, landfill gas and oil and gas production. 
  • Widest operating envelope of any H₂S gas treating method extending across the full spectrum of pressures, flow rates and H₂S concentrations. 
  • Treating to established specifications for sales pipelines, gas lift and fuel gas. 
  • Flexibility of placement along the production stream whether at the anaerobic digester, at a landfill, wellhead, refinery, in a direct or tail gas treating configuration. 
  • Meets the most stringent outlet specifications. 

In our 2023 Sustainability Scorecard, the VALKYRIE fleet helped operators avoid 39.7 million pounds of SO2 emissions, among other benefits.  

READ MORE: Streamline Innovations 2023 Sustainability Scorecard 

Contact us today to learn how VALKYRIE H₂S treating technology can help you reduce emissions from your oil and gas production operations.  

About Streamline Innovations

Streamline Innovation’s vision is Reducing Emissions Through Technology.  We help heavy industry around the world achieve environmental performance objectives, improve sustainability, and transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy. Streamline Innovations Leads TIME’s List of America’s Top GreenTech Companies of 2024.

H2S is present in almost every industrial process in the world.  Our technology can be applied across industries, delivering a sustainable solution that eliminates H2S, the leading cause of acid rain, a deadly greenhouse gas dangerous for work and living environments.

Streamline believes that achieving the E (“Environmental”) in ESG requires data. Creating intelligent systems that operate effectively and efficiently without human intervention is critical to reducing emissions that harm the environment.   We integrate advanced data collection, process control, and analytics in our technologies to provide a total solution for customers.

We serve organizations in multiple sectors, including Energy/Oil & Gas, Biogas, Landfill Gas & Renewable Fuels, Municipal Wastewater and Industrial Air & Water.

Categories Biogas, Chemicals & Refining, Educational, Liquid Redox, Permian Basin, Valkyrie
Posted on Chemicals & Refining

Meeting RNG Pipeline Specifications – The H2S Imperative

The world’s population continues to grow, driving future energy demand higher. In addition, as more societies across the globe become more prosperous, they tend to adopt a more energy-intensive lifestyle. As we noted in our blog article, Gas Treating Solutions for Renewable Natural Gas, a growing human population is anticipated to have an increasingly significant impact on the generation of emissions associated with climate change:

The World Bank forecasts solid waste will increase nearly 70% by 2050, as the world population grows. Landfills are significant sources of methane emissions. An article in Science Advances describes using satellite imagery and analysis to estimate that landfills are the third largest source of methane emissions globally, trailing oil & gas systems and agriculture.

Capturing the methane produced by landfills and agricultural operations and using it as an energy source represents a unique opportunity to both meet future energy needs while reducing the impact of emissions.

Against this backdrop, Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) is expected to play an important role in providing affordable and reliable energy to a growing global population.

The H2S Treating Imperative for Biogas-to-RNG Upgrading

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines RNG as “…anaerobically-generated biogas that has been upgraded (or refined) for use in place of fossil natural gas. Raw biogas typically has a CH4 content between 45 and 65 percent, depending on the source of the biogas, and must go through a series of steps to be converted into RNG.”

Commercial pipelines typically require natural gas to have methane (CH4) content ranging between 85% to 95%, with the remainder typically consisting of Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs), such as ethane, butane, and other substances. Some pipelines are more stringent than others.

Since raw biogas typically has methane content between 45-60%, it must be upgraded to meet pipeline quality specifications. This biogas-to-RNG upgrading process involves removing a myriad of contaminants, including hydrogen sulfide (H2S), water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, siloxanes, and other substances.

H2S is one of the most common contaminants of biogas sourced from Anaerobic Digesters and Landfills. It is highly corrosive to metal pipelines, valves, and other equipment, making it an imperative to keep H2S out of the natural gas distribution system to avoid the risk of a catastrophic failure.

Commercial Pipeline Specifications for H2S

The U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) reports that there are approximately 210 natural gas pipeline systems with approximately 3 million miles of mainline and other gas pipelines in the nation’s pipeline infrastructure linking producers with consumers.

Each of these pipelines has specification for natural gas, mandating ranges for gas composition, including levels of H2S.

Sources providing insight into H2S levels for pipeline quality gas include:

  • Penn State University lists typical natural gas composition specifications in its Petroleum Processing course, and notes in its Specifications for Pipeline Quality Gas the amount of H2S must be at “trace levels” ranging between 0.25 and 0.3 grains per 100 standard cubic feet.
  • As previously noted in our article Gas Treating – Processing Solutions for Multiple Industries, the University of Texas found that the interstate pipeline specifications for H2S range between 0.25 grains per 100 standard cubic feet to 1.0 grains.
  • Pacific Gas & Electric specifies that for its pipeline system, natural gas from California gas wells and received from out of state sources “…shall contain no more than 0.25 grain (4 ppm) of hydrogen sulfide per one hundred standard cubic feet.”

Biogas and Landfill Gas operators need a flexible, sustainable, and cost effective method for removing H2S for upgrading their gas feedstocks to valuable RNG.

Liquid Redox Solution for Removing H2S in Biogas-to-RNG Upgrading

The VALKYRIE® H2S removal system from Streamline Innovations utilizes a Liquid Redox process for converting H2S into elemental sulfur and water vapor. VALKYRIE next generation Liquid Redox employs TALON® chemistry, our non-toxic, biodegradable chemistry to remove H2S and convert it into elemental sulfur (Reduction) and then regenerated and used again by exposure to oxygen (Oxidation).

Benefits of the VALKRYIE gas treating system:

  • A green solution that converts H2S into benign substances including water and elemental sulfur
  • Universal application for biogas, landfill gas and oil and gas production
  • Widest operating envelope of any H2S Treating method extending across the full spectrum of pressures, flow rates and H22S concentrations
  • Treating to established specifications for sales pipelines, gas lift and fuel gas
  • Flexibility of placement along the production stream whether at the anaerobic digester, at a landfill, wellhead, refinery, in a direct or tail gas treating configuration
  • High turndown
  • Specialize in meeting the most stringent outlet specifications
  • Made in the USA

VALKYRIE H2S treating technology gives biogas and landfill gas producers a smart, economical and sustainable method for H2S removal in the Biogas-to-RNG upgrading process.

Contact us today to learn more about Next Generation Liquid Redox H2S treating technology and determine if the VALKYRIE system is right for your operation.

Citations and Resources

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, An Overview of Renewable Natural Gas from Biogas, July 2020.

PennState University, Natural Gas Composition and Specifications.

U.S. Energy Information Agency, Natural Gas Explained, Natural Gas Pipelines.

U.S. Energy Information Agency, About U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines – Transporting Natural Gas.

Pacific Gas & Electric, California Gas Transmission – Pipeline Ranger – Sulfur.

Categories Chemicals & Refining, RNG
Posted on Chemicals & Refining

H2S Treating Methods – Comparing Triazine and Next Generation Liquid Redox

Treating natural gas streams for hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a priority for Oil & Gas producers worldwide. In the United States, much of the associated gas produced from the strategically important producing regions in the Permian Basin and the Eagle Ford trend in southern Texas contains high levels of H2S, making it “sour.”

These oil and gas producing regions are served by established infrastructure and the sour gas assets there play an important role in meeting the nation’s current and future energy needs.

But there is a problem with sour gas. Because H2S is highly corrosive to infrastructure and presents a threat to human health, most pipelines have established strict limits on H2S concentration requiring Oil & Gas operators to remove or otherwise destroy it. In our article Gas Treating – Processing Solutions for Multiple Industries, we reported that The University of Texas found that the interstate pipeline specifications for H2S range between 0.25 grains per 100 cubic feet to 1.0 grain.

Although flaring or combusting associated gas contaminated with H2S is one way to dispose of it, the practice produces harmful sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is a major contributor to acid rain and regulated by the Clean Air Act. Alternatives to flaring are to capture or destroy the H2S using chemical, biological, or mechanical processes that have different trade offs in terms of capital and operation expenses, and have significantly different waste streams. 

In this article we compare the two most common H2S Treatment strategies used by oil producers for treating H2S in the field: Scavenger and Next-Generation Liquid Redox.

H2S Scavengers

Using an H2S scavenger to treat sour gas is a common legacy method for “sweetening” sour gas by removing H2S from natural gas streams using a chemical reaction. A scavenger tower brings sour gas into contact with liquid or solid media, which captures the H2S.

Triazine is commonly used to treat H2S in natural gas streams. It is a clear to pale yellow liquid with a fishy smell. Because triazine cannot be used at full strength, it is usually mixed with other substances to bring the concentration down to field strengths ranging from 20-80%, depending on the application.

Triazine can be injected directly into gas streams or used in a contact tower (scavenger). H2S scavengers using contact towers are considered up to 80% efficient, as compared to only 40% efficiency for direct injection.

Triazine works by binding itself to the H2S molecule. The reaction is defined as one mole of triazine reacting with two moles of H2S to form dithiazine. This is a one-time, non-reversible chemical reaction.

In a liquid H2S scavenger using triazine, produced gas is fed into a tower vessel where it bubbles up through the liquid. As the H2S contacts the triazine in the treating tower, it is rendered harmless.

Because triazine scavenging is a non-regenerative process, triazine must be replaced periodically and the spent liquid must be disposed of.

Triazine H2S Treating Pros and Cons

The benefits of using triazine for treating H2S in gas streams include:

  • Minimal installation cost.
  • Can be cost effective, depending on gas flow rate.
  • Zero air emissions.
  • Widely available in most oil and gas producing regions.
  • Skid-based units can be mobilized from one location to another quickly and easily.

Downsides include:

  • Contact towers are typically only 80% efficient, direct injection only ~40% efficient.
  • Disposal of spent triazine can be problematic in some areas.
  • Non-regenerative process, meaning frequent media changes.
  • Often requires use of other chemicals to mitigate negative downstream effects.
  • Contact towers (bubble towers) can be operationally complex and require frequent attention.
  • Can be costly when treating gas with high concentrations of H2S and/or high gas flow rates.
  • Worker exposure to chemicals at the worksite, potential health and safety concerns.

Next Generation Liquid Redox for H2S Treating

The Liquid Redox (Reduction-Oxidation) process converts H2S into elemental sulfur and water vapor byproducts using chemistry (Reduction) that can be regenerated and used again with exposure to air (Oxidation).

Using a Next Generation Liquid Redox process, sour gas is directed into a treating vessel containing specialized chemistry and then exits the system sweet (without H2S) into a gas sales line. The elemental sulfur byproduct is filtered out of the liquid, and the chemistry is then regenerated with exposure to oxygen. The regenerated chemistry is then recirculated back into the treating vessel to perform the reaction again. The regenerative nature of the chemistry reduces media changes, disposal costs and reduces chemical handling requirements on the well site.

The VALKYRIE® H2S treating solution from Streamline Innovations utilizes relatively recent technological advances in automation control to create the “Next Generation Redox” system. The VALKYRIE system utilizes TALON® chemistry, our non-toxic, biodegradable Redox chemistry.

Focus on Triazine Disposal

As previously noted, there are several downsides to H2S scavengers using liquid triazine. Because the triazine-H2S reaction is non-regenerative, the spent chemical must be replaced periodically and disposed of.

Dithiazine is the byproduct of using triazine to remove H2S from oil and gas streams and has no secondary use. It is a liquid waste product that requires proper disposal, in saltwater disposal (SWD) wells along with produced water, if the SWD operator allows, or at a hazardous materials disposal facility.

Comparison – Triazine H2S Scavengers vs. Next Generation Redox

We compare H2S scavengers using liquid triazine with the latest generation of Liquid Redox.

Spent Media Disposal. Because treating H2S using liquid triazine or solid media involve one-time, non-regenerative chemical reactions, the spent triazine must be replenished and the liquid byproduct disposed of properly. Solid media must also be periodically changed and disposed of at a hazardous materials landfill. Frequency of chemical and media changeouts is a function of several factors, including gas flow rates, H2S concentration, scavenger vessel size and other variables.

Chemical Handling and Safety. Liquid triazine is typically transported in plastic totes and delivered to the well site or production pad. Field personnel can be exposed to triazine when moving totes around the well site, installing H2S scavenger equipment and maintaining contact towers and injection equipment.

Exposure to triazine can cause skin rashes, eye irritation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers triazines as possible human carcinogens.

Operating Cost. Triazine H2S scavengers are often more expensive than Next Generation Liquid Redox, especially for high levels of H2S, because spent triazine must be replaced more frequently and can become overwhelmed at high concentrations, while TALON chemistry is regenerated, reducing the frequency of chemistry changes and chemical handling.  

A Clear Advantage

The VALKYRIE Next Generation Liquid Redox system is the clear winner for treating high H2S sour gas when all the risks and costs are taken into account.

Benefits of the VALKRYIE gas treating system:

  • A green solution that converts H2S into the benign substances of water vapor and elemental sulfur.
  • Universal application for biogas, landfill gas, and oil and gas production.
  • Widest operating envelope of any H2S Treating method extending across the full spectrum of pressures, flow rates and H2S concentrations.
  • Treating to established specifications for sales pipelines, gas lift and fuel gas conditioning.
  • Flexibility of placement along the production stream whether at the anaerobic digester, at a landfill, wellhead, refinery, in a direct or tail gas treating configuration.
  • Easily adjusted for variation in gas flow and H2S concentrations.

We specialize in meeting the most stringent outlet specifications.

Contact us today to learn more about Next Generation Liquid Redox H2S treating technology and determine if the VALKYRIE system is right for your operation.

Categories Chemicals & Refining, Educational, Elemental Sulfur, Liquid Redox