Sour gas contains hydrogen sulfide in concentrations greater than four parts per million and must be treated before use. Acid gas is a natural gas with high concentrations of acid gases. Both require processing before use, and care must be taken during transportation due to hydrogen sulfide’s corrosiveness. Refineries can conduct tests to determine the appropriate treatment methods. Standardizing natural gas contents is critical to avoid damaging natural gas systems or posing safety risks.
Sour gas is a term used to refer to gas that contains hydrogen sulfide in concentrations greater than four parts per million. The term “sour gas” is usually used in reference to natural gas, although it can also be used to discuss other gases. Gas with impurities such as hydrogen sulfide must be treated before it can be used safely. The gas refining process includes a step known as “softening” to remove hydrogen sulfide and other materials.
When natural gas is initially accessed in the field, it usually contains an assortment of impurities, which can depend on where the natural gas drilling sites are located. These impurities must be removed in a refinery to ensure that the gas operates in a stable and predictable manner when it is used. In the case of acid gas, the hydrogen sulphide gives the gas a distinctly strong odor which makes it easy to identify, and the sweetening process removes much of the odor.
As the acid gas is drilled and transported to a refinery for processing, care must be taken, as hydrogen sulphide can be corrosive. Special tubing and equipment are required to avoid adverse reactions during transportation that could pose a safety risk. Once the acid gas arrives at the refinery, it can go through a number of processes to sweeten it. Typically, hydrogen sulfide is not the only impurity in the gas, with acid gas often also containing carbon dioxide.
A closely related term is “acid gas.” Acid gas is a natural gas that has a high concentration of acid gases. It also needs to be processed before it can be used safely. However, sour gas and sour gas are not the same. That said, there is often a large intersection between sour and acidic gases, as impurities in natural gas supplies are not strictly confined to different areas.
Drillers and refineries can conduct tests to learn the composition of their raw natural gas and determine the most appropriate treatment methods for the gas. During the refining process, the natural gas contents are standardized so that it can be used in any system designed to use natural gas for heat or power. These systems are usually not designed to cope with trace impurities, making it critical to provide a consistent and reliable product to avoid damaging natural gas systems or posing a safety risk to users of those systems.
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