Decarbonization Pathways for Refining, Petrochemical

The refining, petrochemical, and natural gas industries face growing pressure to reduce emissions while maintaining safe, reliable, and economically viable operations. While much of the discussion surrounding decarbonization focuses on carbon capture and net-zero targets, many projects begin with a fundamental processing challenge: treating acid gas streams that contain both carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S).

In a recently published article for EnviroTech, Mark Knobloch at Merichem examines how H₂S removal technologies can support practical decarbonization pathways by helping prepare CO₂-rich streams for utilization, transportation, and sequestration.

Article Highlights

The article explores why decarbonization is best approached as a pathway rather than a single end-state target and discusses how established sulfur treatment technologies can support broader carbon management strategies.

Topics include:

• The challenges operators face as they balance emissions reduction goals with asset reliability, safety, and economics
• Why pathway-based decarbonization strategies are often more practical than focusing solely on long-term targets
• The relationship between acid gas treatment, H₂S removal, and carbon capture initiatives
• How sulfur removal helps prepare CO₂ streams for downstream utilization, transportation, or sequestration
• A look at natural gas processing and LNG supply chain opportunities, including developments across the Haynesville and Gulf Coast regions
• Applications of LO-CAT^® liquid redox technology and SULFURTRAP^® adsorbent systems for treating H₂S-containing gas streams

The article also highlights examples of H₂S removal from CO₂-rich streams used in industrial gas treatment applications, demonstrating how proven sulfur treatment technologies continue to support evolving emissions reduction and carbon management objectives.

Read the full article in EnviroTech:
Decarbonization Pathways for Refining, Petrochemical and Midstream Operations: The Role of H₂S Removal

Author: Mark Knobloch

Related Technologies
LO-CAT^® | SULFURTRAP^®