Grant: Industrial Research Chairs

Canada owns the world's 3rd largest oil reserve, the 6th largest technically recoverable shale gas reserve and a*comparably massive gas reserve. Sulfur species must be removed from all these commercial fluids to limit*sulfur dioxide emissions and/or toxicity. Traditional sour gases in Canada are produced with up to 45% H2S,*unconventional shale gas is produced with up to 800 ppm H2S and 10% CO2 and off-gas from heavy oil*production or upgrading contains up to 6% H2S. The majority of research aimed at managing impurities in*these fluids is limited to the low-pressure regime (near atmospheric), whereas high-pressure studies allow for*the exploration and optimization of lower energy alternatives. For example, Carbon Capture and Sequestration*or Acid Gas Injection requires understanding complex chemistry in high-pressure liquid-like fluids, whereas*most commercial simulators are limited to gas phase.*The activity of the NSERC/Alberta Sulfur Research Ltd. IRC in Applied Sulfur Chemistry is aimed at*improving technologies for sour gas production, conditioning and processing at elevated pressures. Through*accurate measurement of physical chemical properties and precise understanding of high-pressure chemical*behavior, research in the new term has expanded to include the water carrying capacity of dense CO2 and/or*H2S fluids, the optimization of adsorbents used to reduce water in liquid acid gas fluids (cryogenic adsorption),*building reference quality information for chemical equilibria calculations in injectate fluids and understanding*the modification of sulfur rheometry for possible future injection of elemental sulfur. The chair funding*provides training for 14 highly qualified personnel, where historically 80% of HQP graduating from this*program have gone onto professional positions in the Oil and Gas Sector.