In the oil and gas industry, sodium hydroxide (caustic) is used as a scrubbing agent in various refinery and chemical manufacturing processes. These include, the use in pre-wash columns to remove H2S from the feed to mercaptan removal units (merox units) in refineries. Furthermore, caustic is used to scrub sulphur and carbon dioxide (CO2) from the gaseous product streams during ethylene and propylene production. After use as a scrubbing agent in these processes, the caustic requires treatment and disposal and is referred to as either refinery or ethylene spent caustic. These waste caustics harbour significant amounts of toxic and noxious compounds. If not effectively managed, they can even release hydrogen sulphide (H2S), a highly poisonous gas.
Enter Hydrothermal Oxidation (HTO), a solution well-suited to treating such waste streams. SCFI specialises in innovative technologies designed precisely for this purpose. Here’s a glimpse of our offerings:
- Low-Pressure Wet Air Oxidation Units for Sulphidic Streams:
- These units efficiently tackle waste streams containing sulphides.
- By subjecting the caustics to controlled oxidation with air or oxygen, we neutralise harmful components.
- The result? Safer, less toxic effluents.
- Aquacritox NC for Recalcitrant Spent Caustics:
- When dealing with the most stubborn spent caustics, our Aquacritox NC steps up.
- It employs near-critical HTO to break down complex pollutants.
- The outcome? COD reductions of up to 99.7%.
Please see our technologies and case studies below for more information, and don’t hesitate to contact us.
