The Optimum Sulfur Recovery Process From North Gas Company Sour Acid Gas

A Case Study and Simulation

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14500/aro.11985
Keywords: Air Pollution, Claus process, Environment protection, Gas sweetening, Gas treatment, Natural gas, Oil and gas industry, Sulfur recovery

Abstract

The North Gas Company in Kirkuk, Iraq produces a sour gas stream that is loaded with considerable amounts of H2S and CO2, at concentrations of 2.95% and 2.54%, respectively. A previous study successfully treated this sour gas stream and produced a sweet gas stream by adopting a natural gas sweetening process using ProMax process simulation software. However, this process also produced an acid gas stream that was loaded with a considerable amount of H2S. The acid gas stream is processed in a sulfur recovery unit to protect the environment. The Claus process is the major technology used to produce elemental sulfur from H2S and SO2 gases. This study examines this process to treat the acid gas stream and recover the elemental sulfur, using ProMax simulation software developed by Bryan Research and Engineering, LLC. Moreover, the simulation model was successful in reducing the amount of H2S from 872.5 kg/h to 60.5 kg/h by adopting two Claus bed reactors to increase the process efficiency. Furthermore, process optimization was also adopted to find out the optimum Claus reactor bed operating temperature at 215°C.

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Author Biographies

Ribwar K. Abdulrahman, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University, Daniel Mitterrand Boulevard, Koya, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Ribwar K. Abdulrahman is a Lecturer at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University. He got the B.Sc. in Chemical Processing Engineering from the University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq, and the M.Sc. in Natural Gas Processing Engineering from Teesside University, England, United Kingdom. His research interests are in natural gas processing engineering, chemical and petrochemical processes simulation, and biofuel engineering. Mr. Ribwar Abdlrahman is a member of several international societies: IEU-Iraq, KEU-Kurdistan region of Iraq, AIChE-USA, SPE-USA, and IEEE-USA.

Mohammed H. Zangana, Department of Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University, Daniel Mitterrand Boulevard, Koya, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq

Mohammed H. S. Zangana is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Petroleum Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University. Dr. Zangana has a Ph.D. degree from the University of Nottingham on multiphase flow for oil and gas production. In addition to the Kurdistan Regional Government and Koya University, his Ph.D. research project was part of TMF, funded by a number of the world's well-known oil and gas companies, such as BP Exploration, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Petrobras, PETRONAS, Shell, Statoil, and TOTAL. During his M.Sc. study at the University of Baghdad, the natural gas processing was the focus of Dr. Zangana's research work. His research interests include multiphase flow, natural gas processing, renewable energy, and the environment. 

Ganank Srivastava, Bryan Research and Engineering, LLC, Bryan, Texas 77802, USA

Ganank Srivastava is a Consultant at Bryan Research and Engineering, LLC, Bryan, Texas 77802, USA. He got a B.Sc. degree in chemical engineering from the National University of Singapore. His research interests are in design, optimization, and debottlenecking gas treating, sulfur, and CO2-removal facilities.

References

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Published
2025-04-09
How to Cite
Abdulrahman, R. K., Zangana, M. H. and Srivastava, G. (2025) “The Optimum Sulfur Recovery Process From North Gas Company Sour Acid Gas: A Case Study and Simulation”, ARO-THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL OF KOYA UNIVERSITY, 13(1), pp. 117-121. doi: 10.14500/aro.11985.
Issue
Vol. 13 No. 1 (2025): Edition Twenty Four
Section
Articles

Copyright (c) 2025 Ribwar K. Abdulrahman, Mohammed H. Zangana, Ganank Srivastava

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