Mercury in gas and oil deposits: corrosion problem

Abstract

Mercury naturally occurs in gas and oil deposits in a wide range of concentrations covering six orders of magnitude: up to 5 mg/m3 in natural gas and up to 600 ppm (mg/kg) in crude oil. Mercury in hydrocarbons poses a number of technological and environmental problems: contamination of equipment and products with this extremely toxic element, poisoning of catalysts, and initiates intensive corrosion of technological equipment, thereby enhancing accident risk. Metal mercury causes rapid electrochemical corrosion of aluminum alloys (e.g., heat exchangers) and liquid metal embrittlement (LME) of steel leading to heavy accidents. The novel technology based on Zeeman atomic absorption spectroscopy enables rapid selective mercury determination in crude oil, gas condensate, naphtha and natural gas. Examples of the technology application for gas, oil and oil products are presented.

Impacts of Mercury Exposure on Human Health, Safety and Environment: Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis (1995 to 2021)

“…The findings from figure 4 revealed that the top five source titles for publications and the total number of publications (in brackets) on the subject area during the period from 1995 to 2021 are; Neurotoxicology (44), Environmental Research (22), Science of the Total Environment (18), Environmental Health Perspectives (16), and Toxicology (15). Other top-rated journals in the area include; Neurotoxicology and Teratology (12), Brain Research (11), Toxicological Sciences (11), Toxicology Letters (11), and Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety (10).…”

“…12,13 For instance, the deposition of industrial mercury equipment such as cryogenic vessels and heat exchangers causes corrosion and cracking, which result in severe risks to the operators. 14,15 Likewise, treatment liquids and sorbents are contaminated by mercury, which could hamper their regeneration, reuse, and disposal. Exposure to mercury is even more hazardous in closed spaces, atmospheres, or environments such as separators, heat exchangers, and tank farms among others.…”

Enhancement of Elemental Mercury Oxidation by Core–Shell CuCo2O4@SiO2 Oxygen Carrier with Strong Oxygen Release and Weak Adsorption Capacity in Chemical-Looping Combustion

“…This phenomenon activates the C–O bond, which is conducive to the decomposition of CO and the deposition of carbon. Finally, liquid mercury can have an embrittlement effect on aluminum heat exchangers in a high-pressure environment, so that the standard of 0.01–0.1 μg/N m 3 of Hg 0 needs to be strictly obeyed to avoid damage to the equipment …”

“…Finally, liquid mercury can have an embrittlement effect on aluminum heat exchangers in a high-pressure environment, so that the standard of 0.01−0.1 μg/N m 3 of Hg 0 needs to be strictly obeyed to avoid damage to the equipment. 14 There are very few studies on the migration and transformation of mercury during CLC. Liu et al 15 discussed the underlining mechanisms for the transformation of mercuryrelated species both in combustion and postcombustion process, in which oxygen carriers promote the conversion of Hg 0 to Hg 2+ and Hg p , which contributes to the efficiency of mercury removal.…”