Application Bulletin
H²S Safety in Sour Gas Operations
The sour (H 2 S) content of
hydrocarbon fields worldwide is
increasing, and many natural gas fields
have very high H 2 S – sometimes in
excess of 50%. H 2 S is extremely
dangerous because smell is an
unreliable indicator of concentration.
Humans can recognize the
characteristic “rotten egg” smell of H 2 S
at low ppb levels. However, H 2 S does
not smell much worse at the exposure
limit of 10 ppm and cannot be smelt at
all at potentially fatal levels in excess of
100 ppm. Existing H 2 S point sensors are
maintenance-intensive, slow to respond
and provide limited coverage. Most H 2 S
sensors do not work reliably in hot or
cold weather, or in humid
marine environments.
Open path monitoring with Boreal
Laser’s GasFinder products detects H 2 S
(and/or CH 4 ) leaks from oil and natural
gas operations quickly and
unambiguously. Path lengths can be up
to 750m. The GasFinder2 can be used
for fixed monitoring applications or for
temporary protection of workers during
construction projects.
The flexibility of the multiple path
GasFinderMC system has been proven in
a variety of safety critical monitoring
applications. GasFinderMC systems
provide round the clock leak detection
at sour gas production and injection
wells. They are used to ensure the safety
of workers in accommodation camps in
the desert. And the one second
response time of the GasFinder
technology makes it uniquely suited for
immediate detection and shutdown in
case of leaks from aerial coolers used in
sour gas operations. Boreal’s GasFinder
systems have now been successfully
enhancing the safety of sour gas
operations in production, transportation
and refining around the world for the
past ten years.
Benefits
•No consumables, no moving parts
- minimal maintenance
•Dramatic reduction in operation and
maintenance needs – saves money
AND personnel
•Reliable un-attended performance in all
climate conditions
Environmental/Safety
•Gas specific - No False Alarms
•Area coverage rather than individual
points – more reliable leak detection
•Faster response, no “memory” effects
•Laser light not absorbed by water vapour
- enables long paths - 500 m or greater
•Broad dynamic range - superior low end
sensitivity detects incipient leaks before
they become dangerous
Stack/process monitoring
•Optical absorption technique - direct
measurement of gas, no chemistry kits
•In-situ measurement removes extractive
sample system effects
•Fast response time, no sample lag time
- enables correlation of gas levels with
process conditions
•Fibre optic multiplexing – enables lower
cost per measurement
Applications
•Sour Gas Injection wells
•Sour gas production wells
•Aerial coolers
•Sour Gas compression
•Worker camp protection
•Claus Sulfur plants
•Temporary monitoring during
construction and turnarounds
Boreal Laser in Sour Gas Operations
Boreal currently supplies four distinct products for HF monitoring in smelters:
GasFinder2 is a portable open path HF monitor used for fugitive emissions and process improvement studies as well as
fixed monitoring of pot room roof emissions and fence-line ambient concentrations.
GasFinderFC is a portable stack or duct HF analyzer which can also be supplied in the GasFinderFCr configuration for
permanent single stack monitoring.
GasFinderMC is also used to confirm HF scrubber performance by monitoring inlet and outlet ducts. In some installations
individual baghouses are monitored for HF breakthrough in order to respond quickly to upset conditions.
GasPointHF is a new passive laser point sensor for fast response monitoring of sub-ppm HF concentrations in ambient air
in and around smelters.
Leak Detection in a Process Unit
Middle East Real Data
H2S Concentration (ppm)
5
GasFinderMC paths provide complete perimeter coverage
Retroreflector
Wind Direction
4
Note that Leak 1 creates a cloud that is
not detected by any sensors.
1
3
Leak 2 is detected by 1 or 2 point sensors.
2
GasFinder Head s
2
Source of leak
Point Sensor
1
0
12:00
14:00
16:00
18:00
20:00
22:00
0:00
2:00
4:00
6:00
8:00
10:00
12:00
Time
GasFinderMC/GasFinder2
P h y s i c a l S p e ci fi ca ti on s
GasFinderMC
Central Control Unit
Weight: 12.0kg [26.4 lbs]
Dimensions(W x D x H):
440mm x 380mm x 130mm
[17.3 x 15.0 x 5.1 inches]
Power Requirement:
<1A@110Vac
Ambient Temperature:
0˚C to 50˚C
Open Path Transmitter
Weight: 4.0 kg [8.8 lbs]
Dimensions(L x dia):
350mm x 100mm
[13.8 x 3.9 inches]
Ambient Temperature:
-45˚C to +80˚C
GasFinder2
Weight: 5.0 kg [11.0 lbs]
Dimensions(L x W x H):
260mm x 200mm x 160mm
[10.2 x 7.9 x 6.3 inches]
©Boreal Laser 10/2010
Stack/Duct Probe
Weight: 4.0 kg [8.8 lbs]
Dimensions(L x dia):
250mm x 120mm
[9.8 x 4.7 inches]
Ambient Temperature:
-45˚C to +80˚C
Stack Temperature:
up to 300˚C
Operat ional Spec ific at i o n s
Dynamic Range
4 orders of magnitude
Up to 8
No. of paths
Response Time
Path Length
Light Source
Eye Safety
1 second default
<1m to>750m
Semiconductor Diode Laser
Class I or Class IIIa (ANSI)
FDA/CDRH approved
Data I/O Interface Options
RS232, Modbus option
Duct Transmitter Unit
Hazardous Area Classification
Weight: 4.5 kg [9.9 lbs]
Dimensions(L x dia):
300mm x 160mm
[11.8 x 6.3 inches]
Ambient Temperature:
-45˚C to +80˚C
Stack Temperature:
up to 300˚C
(with optional RF IS Barrier)
4-20 mA analog option
Dry contact relay option
Cl 1, Div 2, Groups A,B,C,D
ATEX EEx ia
H 2S Sensitivity and Accuracy
50 ppm - m
Power Requirement: <2A@12Vdc
Ambient Temperature:
-30˚C to +50˚C
Ingress Protection IP 65
boreal-laser.com
Calgary, Canada
[email protected]
1403 452 5173