Shell, Sandvik to collaborate on sulfur technology at refinery projects
Shell Global Solutions and AB Sandvik Process Systems have agreed to collaborate on total sulfur technology solutions to their respective clients, particularly in refinery-wide projects, the companies said on Monday.
Specific terms of the alliance were not disclosed.
Refiners globally contend with an increasing amount of sulfur on site, as a result of heavier, more sour crudes coming into refineries, combined with increasingly stringent product specifications and emissions legislation, officials said.
Shell Global Solutions said it is committed to enable refiners to handle sulfur in any form through its sulfur technology platform, and Sandvik’s expertise in providing solutions for the solidification and handling of solid sulfur complements will complement Shell, it said.
Sandvik’s Rotoform pastillation system enables refiners to leverage the sulfur extracted from crude feed stocks to produce a solidified sulfur product that can be handled, transported and stored.
The process delivers high throughput capacity with lower environmental impact, and, through the provision of multiple lines that can be operated in parallel, provides a high level of flexibility, company officials said.
In addition to demonstrating low friability, excellent resistance to impact abrasion and optimal flow characteristics, the sulfur pastilles are also easy to re-melt.
Both Shell Global Solutions and Sandvik believe the alliance will offer refiners more flexibility in the management and handling of sulfur on site.
“Through this alliance, Shell Global Solutions is further demonstrating its commitment to providing innovative technology solutions that enable refiners to handle sulfur in any form,” said Dave Clark, general manager of process licensing for Shell.
“Sandvik’s expertise and unique Rotoform technology sets the standard for pastillised sulfur production within the refining industry,” he added.
The relationship between the two companies extends back more than 25 years, when Shell became one of the first companies to make use of Sandvik’s Rotoform sulfur solidification technology, installing it at Jumping Pound, west of Calgary, Canada.
“This cooperation led to the installation of 46 Rotoform lines at Shell Canada’s Shantz plant,” said Hans-Georg Pohle, sales manager of Sandvik Process Systems. “This remains the largest installation of its kind in the world. The joint expertise gained through this and other projects makes our alliance agreement a logical progression.”
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