A.K. Tyagi, Nuberg EPC, India, explores the crucial role of sulfuric acid within the oil and gas industry, and places a spotlight on two projects that the company was involved in, in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
L
ife on Earth exists partly thanks to sulfur. It is one of the most prevalent chemical elements in nature. It is a pale yellow, tasteless and odourless brittle solid that is common in volcanic areas and hot springs. Its main source is as byproduct elemental sulfur recovered from natural gas and petroleum. Sulfuric acid (H2SO4), one of the most essential components that is utilised as an industrial raw material, is the most important derivative of sulfur. Dilute sulfuric acid, on the other hand, is formed naturally in the atmosphere when sulfur dioxide (SO2) is oxidised in the presence of atmospheric moisture. Sulfuric acid is in high demand as a result of its wide range of applications. Consequently, it is commercially produced through the contact process, which involves the reaction of sulfur trioxide (SO3) with water: SO3 + H2O ⟶
H2SO4
(1)
Global production and the growing role of sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid demand has fallen only once, during the global economic crisis in 2009. Between 2010 and 2012, however,
there was a positive trend. Global sulfuric acid production currently exceeds 270 million t, with this figure expected to rise. China tops the list of sulfuric acid producers, with over 74 million t of production output. The US comes in second with over 37 million t, followed by India (16 million t), Russia (14 million t) and Morocco (7 million t). In total, these five countries account for approximately 61.5% of all sulfuric acid produced worldwide. The global sulfuric acid market was worth US$10 billion in 2016. This figure is expected to increase to US$15 billion by 2025. Similarly, global demand is expected to rise exponentially, necessitating an increase in production to keep up.
Production of elemental sulfur India is one of the world’s leading sulfuric acid manufacturers. There is a positive relationship between a country’s sulfuric acid usage and its per capita income. The acidulation of rock phosphates and the generation of ammonium sulfate are both part of the process. Petroleum refining, steelmaking and other inorganic compounds are among its numerous industrial applications. In India, there are currently more than 65 sulfuric acid facilities.
HYDROCARBON 17
ENGINEERING
February 2022
