H2S Gas

Other H2S – gas potential industries

 Animal fat & food processing

 Fishing vessels
 Livestock farming
 Mining
 Natural gas production
 Septic tanks & sewage plants
 Tunnel construction
H2S Gas Key Points

 Extremely toxic
 Colourless
 Heavier than air
 Readily disperses by the wind
 Smells like rotten eggs in small concentrations
H2S Gas Key Points

 Highly corrosive to certain materials

 Burns with a blue flame and produces SO2
 Ignition temperature 260 deg. C
 Soluble
 ppm = parts per million
1 ppm corresponds to 1 mm

in 1 kilometre
or
1 second in 11 d 13 h 46 m 40 s
MARCH

• 1 PPM = 0.0001%
• 20 PPM = 0.002%
• 1000 PPM = 0.1%
H2S Gas

H2S - gas effect on individuals

 0.13 ppm Minimum perceptible odour

 10 ppm Beginning eye irritation
 100 ppm Loss of sense of smell coughing
 500 ppm Loss of consciousness Possible death within an
hour
 700 ppm Rapid loss of consciousness and respiration
 1000 ppm Unconscious at once Death occur almost at once
The effect on individuals depend
on the following factors:

DURATION
The length of time the individual
is exposed

FREQUENCY
Number of times the individual
has been exposed

INTENSITY
The concentration level

PERSONAL FACTORS
Individual susceptibility and
physiological condition
 Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) has allowed

8 hours TWA = 10 ppm

and
10 min STEL = 15 ppm

20 ppm H2S

15
10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Time hours

TWA: Time Weighted Average

STEL: Short Term Exposure Limit

H2S Gas

When H2S Gas burns

Complete combustion:
2 H2S + 3 O2 2 SO2 + 2 H2O

Incomplete combustion:
2 H2S + O2 2 H2O + 2 S
H2S Gas
What is the drilling fluid pH ??
 pH is the negative logarithm (base 10) of the hydrogen-
ion concentration.

 pH is an expression (a number) that gives a liquids

relative acidity, or alkalinity

 pH-units will decrease with increasing acidity by the

factor of

Acid Neutral Alkaline

Low pH pH = 7 High pH
H2S Gas

Maintain high pH !!

By mixing caustic soda into the drilling fluid the pH is increased

H2S + NaOH NaHS + H2O

 The chemical balance forms H2S when the pH drops below 7

 In the pH range between 7-12, the chemical balance forms NaHs and water
 When H2S enters the drilling fluid it is important to maintain the PH
ABOVE 10.0
H2S Gas

Scavengers Zinc carbonate

Alkaline drilling fluid system:
H2S + NaOH NaHS + H2O
Adding scavenger :
ZnCO3 + NaHS NaHCO3 + ZnS
The Zinc sulphide product is very stable and does not
regenerate the H2S - even when pH drops to 3.5
H2S Gas

ZnCO3 Zinc carbonate

NaHS Sodium hydrogen sulphide
NaHCO3 Sodium hydrogen carbonate
ZnS Zinc sulphide
H2S Gas
Stress Corrosion Cracking SCC
Cracks in steel caused by corrosion on combination
with tension and torque applied
Simplified chemical reaction :
H2S + Fe FeS + H2

H2S Hydrogen sulphide

Fe Iron
FeS Iron sulphide
H2 Hydrogen
H2S Gas

Sulphide Stress Cracking SSC

Brittle failure by cracking under the combined
action of tensile stress and corrosion in the
presence of water and H2S
When hydrogen molecules are formed from the
hydrogen ions and the electrons a volume
expansion takes place
H2S Gas

 Elastomers are deteriorated

quicker when exposed to
H2S gas
 Elastomer packing become
hard and brittle
 Elastomer packing have to
be exchanged more often
than usual
 If possible metal seals (H2S
trim) can be used
H2S - gas detectors
Never trust your smelling sense to detect H2S

Detector systems :

 Fixed systems

 Portable detectors

 Personal detectors
H2S - gas detector Fixed system

Drager Sulfytron 4010

EC
H2S - gas detector Fixed system

Drager Polytron evaluation unit

H2S - gas detector Fixed system
Central unit

Channel card
H2S - gas detector Portable detectors
H2S - gas detector Portable detectors

Example: Ex
CO2
O2
H2S
CO
H2S - gas detector Portable detectors
H2S - gas detector Personal detector
Personal protection equipment

 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

± 30 min duration from air cylinder 6 litre 200 bar or from cascade system

 Work & escape unit (Draeger Colt)

± 10 min duration from air cylinder 2 litre 200 bar or from cascade system

 Escape unit (Elsa go Rapid air)

± 10 min OR ± 15 min duration from 2 litre or 3 litre air cylinder 200 bar
Self Contained Breathing Apparatus
How can you measure time for air
bottle?
Normal air use 40 L/min for personnel

Example: if we have a bottle as following

6 liter * 200 bar = 1200 volume

1200/40 = 30 min.
Personal protection equipment

Panorama Nova face mask

A Very Handsome Man
What If?
 Personal Protective Equipment

Approximately 10 min
or 15 min supply from the
cylinder
Cascade breathing air system

Bauer
Stepwise first aid to an unconscious
person
Check if the
victim is
unconscious

If the victim is breathing and looks well,

put him in recovery position
Stepwise first aid to an unconscious person

CPR
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
(CPR) consists of mouth-to-
mouth respiration and chest
compression.
CPR