Trends In Sulphur Supply and Long Term Storage of Solid Elemental Sulphur

摘要

The objective of this paper is to provide an update on pilot scale field work which is examining methods for long term storage of solid sulphur and to assess the need for sulphur storage in the context of new supply. It is concluded that sulphur production will continue to shift to Asia and the Middle East, a consequence of increased oil refining in China and India and burgeoning sour gas production in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Iran. This trend will be accentuated by refining of increased volumes of sweet oil in the USA as this change will displace sour crudes from the Middle East into Asian markets. It is, as yet, unclear whether new Alberta oil sand derived sulphur will be produced mostly in North America or in Asia, principally China. Continued sour gas production in Russia and increased processing of associated sour gas in Kazakhstan will make major contributions to the World sulphur supply. Alternative energy forms such as wind and biomass are predicted to have little effect on sulphur supply in the foreseeable future, but solar and nuclear electricity generation could impact the need for hydrocarbon-derived fuels and, hence, sulphur production, if electric powered vehicles become widely adopted. However, this change would take decades to accomplish. Generally, it is predicted that the sulphur supply - demand picture will remain close to balance up to 2020 despite much new tonnage from the Middle East. Most probably, increased sulphur demand for fertilizer for food production, for Ni recovery and contraction of the Canadian sour gas industry will counter the new sulphur supply. Overall, it is projected that sulphur storage will be required, from time to time in all of the major producing countries. A field pilot project conducted in Northern Alberta has shown that sulphur must be isolated from the environment if it is stored in an underground site. A project designed to determine methods for covering surface blocks is underway at the Shell Burnt Timber gas plant.