Performance of Different H<sub>2</sub>S Scavengers in Crude Oil

Andre Luiz Castro Bonfim; Jose Antonio da Cunha Ponciano Gomes; Alvaro Augusto Oliveira Magalhaes

doi:doi:10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21

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Performance of Different H₂S Scavengers in Crude Oil

Andre Luiz Castro Bonfim^*

, Jose Antonio da Cunha Ponciano Gomes

, Alvaro Augusto Oliveira Magalhaes

Published in Petroleum Science and Engineering (Volume 9, Issue 2)

Received: 29 September 2025 Accepted: 14 October 2025 Published: 30 December 2025

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Abstract

The presence of H₂S in petroleum compromises the integrity of industrial equipment, affects the quality of by-products, and poses environmental and occupational challenges that increase costs and operational risks. A common solution to mitigate this contaminant is the continuous injection of liquid H₂S scavengers into the production stream. Most technical publications focus on H₂S scavengers for gaseous hydrocarbons and aqueous fluids at temperatures below 70°C, but there are few references regarding scavenger performance in liquid organic media at temperatures above 70°C. This article presents the results of a comparative study on the H₂S scavenging capacity of various concentrated active compounds and commercial products used in the petroleum industry. The methodology involves subjecting oils with different densities to a constant flow of gas with a known H₂S concentration at 33.1 kPa and 130°C. The H₂S concentration is measured in the gas phase using gas chromatography and in the liquid phase by potentiometric titration throughout the test period, after passing through the reaction system and before and after the introduction of a known aliquot of the H₂S scavenger. The methodologies employed allow for the evaluation and comparison of the H₂S scavenging capacity of the products analyzed. This enables classification according to efficiency, using tests that simulate conditions closer to field applications, with a predominantly organic environment, similar to new oil wells where the water content is less than 1 %(v/v). Among the commercial H₂S scavengers evaluated, the product based on ethoxylated compounds showed the best performance, while MEA-triazine and glyoxal-based scavengers exhibited lower performance, with glyoxal being slightly more effective than MEA-triazine. The zinc carboxylate-based scavenger demonstrated the lowest performance among the products tested. The study also showed that the mass of H₂S reacted is proportional to the product dosage, within the tested range of 500 mL/L to 1000 mL/L for all products. The information generated enables informed decisions regarding the best product for oil production, aiming for greater efficiency and a lower volume of injected scavenger. This approach supports operational safety, regulatory compliance, and minimal impact on oil refining stages due to residual scavengers and reaction products present in the produced oil.

Published in	Petroleum Science and Engineering (Volume 9, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21
Page(s)	160-172
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

H₂S Scavenger, Hydrogen Sulfide, Oil, H₂S Scavenging Capacity, MEA-Triazine, Ethoxylated Compounds. Glyoxal

References

[1]	Beltrao, R., Sombra, C., Lage, A., Netto, J., Henriques, C., Challenges and New Technologies for the Development of the Pre-salt Cluster, Santos Basin, Brazil, Offshore Technology Conference, May 2009. http://dx.doi.org/10.4043/OTC-19880-MS
[2]	Amosa, M., Mohammed, I., and Yaro. S., Sulphide scavengers in oil and gas industry–a review. Nafta 61.2 (2010): 85-92.
[3]	Gentil, V., Corrosão. “Corrosion, title translated from Portuguese,” 4th Edition. Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil, LTC, 2003. xv, 341 p.
[4]	British Standards Institution, BSI BS EN ISO 15156-1, Petroleum and natural gas industries - Materials for use in H2S-containing environments in oil and gas production Part 1: General principles for selection of cracking-resistant materials, UK: BSI, 2009.
[5]	Enviromental Protection Agency (EPA). “Report to congress on hydrogen sulfide air emissions associated with the extraction of oil and natural gas”. United States: Research Triangle Park, October 1993, http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/gasregulation/authorizations/2012_applications/sierra_ex12_97/Ex._21_-_EPA_Hydrogen_Sulfide_Report_-_p.pdf
[6]	Occupational Safety And Health Standards, OSHA 1910, Part 1910, Subpart Z - Toxic and Hazardous Substances, 1910.1000 - Air contaminants, TABLE Z-2,, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210, USA: OSHA, 2006.
[7]	Kelland, M., Production Chemicals for the Oil and Gas Industry. 2nd Edition. Florida, USA: Ed. CRC Press, 2009, pp. 363–373. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420092974
[8]	Edmondson, J. and Betz Laboratories, Method of scavenging hydrogen sulfide, US Patent 4680127, 14 jul. 1987.
[9]	Hardy, J. and Georgie, J., Hydrogen sulphide scavenging method. WO Patent 048284, 1 dez 2003.
[10]	Porz, E. and Aktiengesellschaft, H., Process for scavenging hydrogen sulfide using glyoxal. US Patent 5085842, 4 feb 1992.
[11]	Souza, V., Estudo de sequestrantes de H2S para sistemas de produção de óleo e gás. “Study of H2S scavengers for oil and gas production systems, title translated from Portuguese”, Master’s Thesis, COPPE/UFRJ, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Program, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil, 2012.
[12]	Bonfim, A., Avaliação de Sequestrantes de H2S para indústria de petróleo, “Evaluation of H2S Scavengers for the Oil Industry title translated from Portuguese”, Master’s Thesis, COPPE/UFRJ, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Program, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil, 2013. https://w1.solucaoatrio.net.br/coppe-uni/pub/ThesisViewAll.do?method=viewAll&id=10001055&pg_query=8262369583197805&pg_range=5
[13]	Bonfim, A., Magalhaes, A., Methodology for Evaluating H2S Scavenger Performance in Crude Oil, 2025, Petroleum Science and Engineering, in press, no prelo.
[14]	UOP163, A. S. T. M. "Hydrogen Sulfide and Mercaptan Sulfur in Liquid Hydrocarbons by Potentiometric Titration." American Society for Testing and Materials: West Conshohocken, PA, USA 1 (2010).
[15]	Skoog, D., West, D., Holler, F., Crouch, S., Fundamentos da Química Analítica, Translate 8th Edition, “Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry title translated from Portuguese”, Ed. Thomson: São Paulo/SP, Brazil, 2007.
[16]	Mendez, C., Magalhaes, A., Altoe, P., Costa, E., H₂S Scavengers Injection: A Novel Evaluation Protocol to Enhance the Integrity of Production Lines." OTC 20168. Paper presented at the Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, Texas, May 2009. https://doi.org/10.4043/20168-MS

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APA Style

Bonfim, A. L. C., Gomes, J. A. D. C. P., Magalhaes, A. A. O. (2025). Performance of Different H2S Scavengers in Crude Oil. Petroleum Science and Engineering, 9(2), 160-172. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21

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ACS Style

Bonfim, A. L. C.; Gomes, J. A. D. C. P.; Magalhaes, A. A. O. Performance of Different H2S Scavengers in Crude Oil. Pet. Sci. Eng. 2025, 9(2), 160-172. doi: 10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21

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AMA Style

Bonfim ALC, Gomes JADCP, Magalhaes AAO. Performance of Different H2S Scavengers in Crude Oil. Pet Sci Eng. 2025;9(2):160-172. doi: 10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21

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@article{10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21,
  author = {Andre Luiz Castro Bonfim and Jose Antonio da Cunha Ponciano Gomes and Alvaro Augusto Oliveira Magalhaes},
  title = {Performance of Different H2S Scavengers in Crude Oil},
  journal = {Petroleum Science and Engineering},
  volume = {9},
  number = {2},
  pages = {160-172},
  doi = {10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pse.20250902.21},
  abstract = {The presence of H2S in petroleum compromises the integrity of industrial equipment, affects the quality of by-products, and poses environmental and occupational challenges that increase costs and operational risks. A common solution to mitigate this contaminant is the continuous injection of liquid H2S scavengers into the production stream. Most technical publications focus on H2S scavengers for gaseous hydrocarbons and aqueous fluids at temperatures below 70°C, but there are few references regarding scavenger performance in liquid organic media at temperatures above 70°C. This article presents the results of a comparative study on the H2S scavenging capacity of various concentrated active compounds and commercial products used in the petroleum industry. The methodology involves subjecting oils with different densities to a constant flow of gas with a known H2S concentration at 33.1 kPa and 130°C. The H2S concentration is measured in the gas phase using gas chromatography and in the liquid phase by potentiometric titration throughout the test period, after passing through the reaction system and before and after the introduction of a known aliquot of the H2S scavenger. The methodologies employed allow for the evaluation and comparison of the H2S scavenging capacity of the products analyzed. This enables classification according to efficiency, using tests that simulate conditions closer to field applications, with a predominantly organic environment, similar to new oil wells where the water content is less than 1 %(v/v). Among the commercial H2S scavengers evaluated, the product based on ethoxylated compounds showed the best performance, while MEA-triazine and glyoxal-based scavengers exhibited lower performance, with glyoxal being slightly more effective than MEA-triazine. The zinc carboxylate-based scavenger demonstrated the lowest performance among the products tested. The study also showed that the mass of H2S reacted is proportional to the product dosage, within the tested range of 500 mL/L to 1000 mL/L for all products. The information generated enables informed decisions regarding the best product for oil production, aiming for greater efficiency and a lower volume of injected scavenger. This approach supports operational safety, regulatory compliance, and minimal impact on oil refining stages due to residual scavengers and reaction products present in the produced oil.},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Performance of Different H2S Scavengers in Crude Oil
AU  - Andre Luiz Castro Bonfim
AU  - Jose Antonio da Cunha Ponciano Gomes
AU  - Alvaro Augusto Oliveira Magalhaes
Y1  - 2025/12/30
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21
DO  - 10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21
T2  - Petroleum Science and Engineering
JF  - Petroleum Science and Engineering
JO  - Petroleum Science and Engineering
SP  - 160
EP  - 172
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2640-4516
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21
AB  - The presence of H2S in petroleum compromises the integrity of industrial equipment, affects the quality of by-products, and poses environmental and occupational challenges that increase costs and operational risks. A common solution to mitigate this contaminant is the continuous injection of liquid H2S scavengers into the production stream. Most technical publications focus on H2S scavengers for gaseous hydrocarbons and aqueous fluids at temperatures below 70°C, but there are few references regarding scavenger performance in liquid organic media at temperatures above 70°C. This article presents the results of a comparative study on the H2S scavenging capacity of various concentrated active compounds and commercial products used in the petroleum industry. The methodology involves subjecting oils with different densities to a constant flow of gas with a known H2S concentration at 33.1 kPa and 130°C. The H2S concentration is measured in the gas phase using gas chromatography and in the liquid phase by potentiometric titration throughout the test period, after passing through the reaction system and before and after the introduction of a known aliquot of the H2S scavenger. The methodologies employed allow for the evaluation and comparison of the H2S scavenging capacity of the products analyzed. This enables classification according to efficiency, using tests that simulate conditions closer to field applications, with a predominantly organic environment, similar to new oil wells where the water content is less than 1 %(v/v). Among the commercial H2S scavengers evaluated, the product based on ethoxylated compounds showed the best performance, while MEA-triazine and glyoxal-based scavengers exhibited lower performance, with glyoxal being slightly more effective than MEA-triazine. The zinc carboxylate-based scavenger demonstrated the lowest performance among the products tested. The study also showed that the mass of H2S reacted is proportional to the product dosage, within the tested range of 500 mL/L to 1000 mL/L for all products. The information generated enables informed decisions regarding the best product for oil production, aiming for greater efficiency and a lower volume of injected scavenger. This approach supports operational safety, regulatory compliance, and minimal impact on oil refining stages due to residual scavengers and reaction products present in the produced oil.
VL  - 9
IS  - 2
ER  -

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Author Information

Andre Luiz Castro Bonfim

Petrobras Research Center (CENPES), PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0009-1026-8418
Jose Antonio da Cunha Ponciano Gomes

Labcorr, Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2006-0695
Alvaro Augusto Oliveira Magalhaes

Petrobras Research Center (CENPES), PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6436-0633

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Bonfim, A. L. C., Gomes, J. A. D. C. P., Magalhaes, A. A. O. (2025). Performance of Different H2S Scavengers in Crude Oil. Petroleum Science and Engineering, 9(2), 160-172. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21

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ACS Style

Bonfim, A. L. C.; Gomes, J. A. D. C. P.; Magalhaes, A. A. O. Performance of Different H2S Scavengers in Crude Oil. Pet. Sci. Eng. 2025, 9(2), 160-172. doi: 10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21

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AMA Style

Bonfim ALC, Gomes JADCP, Magalhaes AAO. Performance of Different H2S Scavengers in Crude Oil. Pet Sci Eng. 2025;9(2):160-172. doi: 10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21,
  author = {Andre Luiz Castro Bonfim and Jose Antonio da Cunha Ponciano Gomes and Alvaro Augusto Oliveira Magalhaes},
  title = {Performance of Different H2S Scavengers in Crude Oil},
  journal = {Petroleum Science and Engineering},
  volume = {9},
  number = {2},
  pages = {160-172},
  doi = {10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pse.20250902.21},
  abstract = {The presence of H2S in petroleum compromises the integrity of industrial equipment, affects the quality of by-products, and poses environmental and occupational challenges that increase costs and operational risks. A common solution to mitigate this contaminant is the continuous injection of liquid H2S scavengers into the production stream. Most technical publications focus on H2S scavengers for gaseous hydrocarbons and aqueous fluids at temperatures below 70°C, but there are few references regarding scavenger performance in liquid organic media at temperatures above 70°C. This article presents the results of a comparative study on the H2S scavenging capacity of various concentrated active compounds and commercial products used in the petroleum industry. The methodology involves subjecting oils with different densities to a constant flow of gas with a known H2S concentration at 33.1 kPa and 130°C. The H2S concentration is measured in the gas phase using gas chromatography and in the liquid phase by potentiometric titration throughout the test period, after passing through the reaction system and before and after the introduction of a known aliquot of the H2S scavenger. The methodologies employed allow for the evaluation and comparison of the H2S scavenging capacity of the products analyzed. This enables classification according to efficiency, using tests that simulate conditions closer to field applications, with a predominantly organic environment, similar to new oil wells where the water content is less than 1 %(v/v). Among the commercial H2S scavengers evaluated, the product based on ethoxylated compounds showed the best performance, while MEA-triazine and glyoxal-based scavengers exhibited lower performance, with glyoxal being slightly more effective than MEA-triazine. The zinc carboxylate-based scavenger demonstrated the lowest performance among the products tested. The study also showed that the mass of H2S reacted is proportional to the product dosage, within the tested range of 500 mL/L to 1000 mL/L for all products. The information generated enables informed decisions regarding the best product for oil production, aiming for greater efficiency and a lower volume of injected scavenger. This approach supports operational safety, regulatory compliance, and minimal impact on oil refining stages due to residual scavengers and reaction products present in the produced oil.},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Performance of Different H2S Scavengers in Crude Oil
AU  - Andre Luiz Castro Bonfim
AU  - Jose Antonio da Cunha Ponciano Gomes
AU  - Alvaro Augusto Oliveira Magalhaes
Y1  - 2025/12/30
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21
DO  - 10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21
T2  - Petroleum Science and Engineering
JF  - Petroleum Science and Engineering
JO  - Petroleum Science and Engineering
SP  - 160
EP  - 172
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2640-4516
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.21
AB  - The presence of H2S in petroleum compromises the integrity of industrial equipment, affects the quality of by-products, and poses environmental and occupational challenges that increase costs and operational risks. A common solution to mitigate this contaminant is the continuous injection of liquid H2S scavengers into the production stream. Most technical publications focus on H2S scavengers for gaseous hydrocarbons and aqueous fluids at temperatures below 70°C, but there are few references regarding scavenger performance in liquid organic media at temperatures above 70°C. This article presents the results of a comparative study on the H2S scavenging capacity of various concentrated active compounds and commercial products used in the petroleum industry. The methodology involves subjecting oils with different densities to a constant flow of gas with a known H2S concentration at 33.1 kPa and 130°C. The H2S concentration is measured in the gas phase using gas chromatography and in the liquid phase by potentiometric titration throughout the test period, after passing through the reaction system and before and after the introduction of a known aliquot of the H2S scavenger. The methodologies employed allow for the evaluation and comparison of the H2S scavenging capacity of the products analyzed. This enables classification according to efficiency, using tests that simulate conditions closer to field applications, with a predominantly organic environment, similar to new oil wells where the water content is less than 1 %(v/v). Among the commercial H2S scavengers evaluated, the product based on ethoxylated compounds showed the best performance, while MEA-triazine and glyoxal-based scavengers exhibited lower performance, with glyoxal being slightly more effective than MEA-triazine. The zinc carboxylate-based scavenger demonstrated the lowest performance among the products tested. The study also showed that the mass of H2S reacted is proportional to the product dosage, within the tested range of 500 mL/L to 1000 mL/L for all products. The information generated enables informed decisions regarding the best product for oil production, aiming for greater efficiency and a lower volume of injected scavenger. This approach supports operational safety, regulatory compliance, and minimal impact on oil refining stages due to residual scavengers and reaction products present in the produced oil.
VL  - 9
IS  - 2
ER  -

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