New Claus tail-gas process proved in German operation

Abstract

A process for removing sulfur components from Claus-plant tail gases increases sulfur-recovery rates to 99.5%. It has been in use for more than 4 years. In December 1983, a tail-gas cleaning unit was started up for the sulfur-recovery plants of the Nordeutsche Erdgas Aufbereitungsgesellschaft (NEAG) natural-gas treating complex at Voigten, West Germany. NEAG, a joint venture of Exxon, Shell, and Mobil Oil, desulfurizes 7.7 million normal cu m/day (approximately 271.2 million cfd) of sour gas in three plants. Up to 1,050 tons/day of elemental sulfur are produced (Fig. 1). Mobil Oil AG developed the process which has been dubbed the Mobil direct-oxidation process (Modop).