BASF and ExxonMobil Catalysts and Licensing have released an energy efficient amine gas treatment technology named OASE sulfexx.
The technology is based on a new proprietary amine-based solvent that selectively removes hydrogen sulfide (H2S), while minimizing the co-absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2) from gas streams.
The companies jointly developed the amine-based solvent to help petroleum refiners and gas processors meet future requirements, while also increasing capacity and lowering operating costs on existing equipment.
New facilities can use this technology to reduce the size of the equipment and the initial capital investment compared to conventional amine gas treatment units.
“Collaborating to develop new, game-changing technologies is central to how we work, and the development of this new product provides yet another example of what we bring to the marketplace,” said Dan Moore, president of ExxonMobil Catalysts and Licensing.
Multiple pilot plant tests at ExxonMobil and BASF facilities have demonstrated the superior selective properties of this solvent compared to methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) formulations and FLEXSORB SE and SE Plus solvents.
OASE sulfexx will help to debottleneck existing Claus tail gas treating, acid gas enrichment, and high-pressure acid gas removal units. In Claus tail gas treating units, the technology can achieve less than 10 ppmv H2S specifications while rejecting CO2 to meet future emission requirements.