The waste characterization for a spent adsorbent used for hydrogen sulphide removal from natural gas

Abstract

The objective of the study was the waste characterization for a spent absorbent used for hydrogen sulfide removal from natural gas in a gas production facility. The gas from the wells is previously treated for the removal of heavy fractions hydrocarbons, like C1 – C9. The iron oxides from the adsorbent react with H2S retaining it as iron sulphides. Both products, iron oxides and iron sulphides, are substances with low solubility in water. The waste sample present a significant concentration of nickel and contain iron oxides compounds, which can produce self-heating up to ignition phenomena. Self-heating phenomena was noticed for this waste starting discharging from the desulphurization vessel. The waste was tested with flame in order to identify the potential flammability and the result was positive, most likely due to the traces of gasoline. As a conclusion of the study, this waste was defined as hazardous waste and the proposed codes are 060602* Waste containing hazardous sulphides and 060315* Metallic oxides containing heavy metals.