The Current Challenges

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High sulfur crude, known as “sour” oil, poses significant safety and logistical challenges at every step of the oil and gas value chain. It requires specialized equipment, stringent safety protocols, frequent maintenance, and specialized training for workers due to its threat to human health and to infrastructure.

Sour crude typically contains sulfur levels above 0.5% (5000 ppm), necessitating treatment. As oil and gas development expands beyond core areas, operators are increasingly finding sour oil with hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels ranging from 17,000 to 30,000 ppm, well above the concentrations traditionally associated with sour oil. These levels of H2S contamination are not only highly toxic but also exceed the capabilities of traditional sour takeaway infrastructure and refining processes.

Limitations on local sour takeaway capacity to treat or transport very high sulfur crude presents a barrier to the development of these assets. Future development of these high-sulfur assets, exceeding 10,000 ppm, will rely increasingly on technological advancements in desulfurization.

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Pioneer Energy’s Solution​

 

The Emission Control Treater (ECT) for crude oil desulfurization is a proven solution for treating extremely sour crude oil on the well site or production pad. The ECT employs a fundamentally different approach for wellhead fluid processing, crude stabilization, gas evacuation, and sulfur removal.

Instead of relying on a chemical reaction, the ECT leverages the application of heat. The ECT for oil desulfurization heats extremely sour crude oil to a temperature that drives the H2S out of the liquid and into the gas stream. Once in the gas stream, it is in concentrations that can be safely handled by sour service infrastructure and can be treated cost-effectively downstream at a natural gas processing plant.

The ECT thermal process also drives CO2 out of the crude and into the gas stream, where it can be treated through route processes at a natural gas processing plant.

The ECT is skid mounted for easy installation and can be easily redeployed as wells decline. As an integrated system with far fewer components, no combustion sources, and no required compression, the emissions footprint is substantially reduced (by 90% or more). The footprint of the pad dramatically shrinks, and maintenance costs are significantly reduced. Pad uptime also benefits greatly.

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ECT Features & Advantages for Crude Oil Desulfurization

 

• Leverages Thermal Process – Heats crude up to point where the H2S comes out of solution instead of using a chemical reaction. This avoids having to use significant amounts of chemicals on site, improves the production pad safety profile, and enhances uptime.
   

• Wide Operating Envelope – A single ECT can treat between 500 to 2500 barrels of oil per day (BOPD), with larger scale also possible.
   

• Closed-Loop System – Can eliminate above ground oil storage tanks and eliminate emissions from flaring sour gas and tank vapors.
   

• Eliminates Flaring – The stabilized, cooled crude produced by the ECT generates no vapors that would need to be flared.
   

• No Open Flame – Safe for sour service and avoids emissions.
   

• Electric Powered – Avoids using lease gas and eliminates sweet gas buyback for operation.
   

• Safe – Built for full compliance with all relevant oilfield equipment standards, including all ASME code stamped vessels and Class 1 Div 2 compliance, the unit design has also been subjected to a rigorous HAZOP process. The unit is connected on each site with the customer's systems for permissives and emergency stop controls.