Abstract
Along with oil and gas operations, huge amounts of sulfur byproducts are produced. For example, in the State of Qatar which has the third largest proven reserves of natural gas, an incredible amount of sulfur is produced as byproduct from its natural gas processing facilities. The amount of produced sulfur surpasses by far the amount that can be utilized currently in the country. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) existing in natural gas extracted from Qatar’s North Field is converted to elemental sulfur using the conventional Claus process. Managing byproduct sulfur from natural gas processing is a key aspect of economic development and environmental protection in many countries with oil and gas facilities. Therefore, new markets must be found to utilize sulfur to avoid disposal crises. Sulfur byproduct from natural gas can be utilized for various applications. This paper discusses alternative potential uses for sulfur in addition to the current practices of sulfur utilization. Some of these alternative applications of sulfur byproducts include the potential usage for medicinal uses, road construction, batteries, hydrogen production, structural additives, solar energy, waste treatment, arsenite removal, and production of maize.
Highlights
Oil and gas companies recover thousands of tons of sulfur per day
The results of this study show that the sulfidogenic process, driven by S0RB working under acidic conditions can be a promising alternative to Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria (SRB)-based processes for arsenite removal from the arsenic-contaminated waters, such as Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), metallurgy industry effluents, soils, surface and ground waters, especially under the conditions with fluctuating arsenite levels and sulfide production
In a study [21], the change in solubility of tri-calcium phosphate was tested and assessed, which was produced from the oxidation of thiosulfate and early plant growth promotion of maize when it was introduced to the thiosulfate oxidising bacteria which had the tetrathionate intermediate (S4I) and/or paracoccus sulfur oxidation (PSO) path for the thiosulfate oxidation
Summary
Oil and gas companies recover thousands of tons of sulfur per day. In January 2019, 103 KTPD (thousand tons per day) of sulfur was recovered globally, with Asia at the largest. These numbers are drastically rising as more oil and gas is extracted from the ground. Sulfur can go through several processes converting into compounds like Sulfur Dioxide or other sulfuric substances which can lead to substantial health issues It is flammable in powder form and the health issues include damage to immune systems, disturbance of blood circulation, neurological effects and behavioral changes, heart damage, reproductive failure, suffocation and lung embolism [2]. It is imperative that we further experiment with sulfur’s properties to discover more of its benefits and explore more of its potential applications
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
