With many reported sour gas fields in the world, increasing energy demand will mean that these fields will be considered for development but the technical complexities alongside environmental constraints will require that a number of factors to ensure cost effective and safe progress are realised. Innovation will be the key solution in meeting these challenges in helping monetize these huge sour gas reserves.

This is currently true of the UAE where the SGD project in Abu Dhabi is focusing on what will be a new benchmark for the gas processing and sulphur recovery industries. This proposed world-class facility will process 1 billion cubic feet per day of sour gas containing 23 per cent H2S and deliver 10,000 TDD of sulphur, but before this can be achieved there are many technical activities to be successfully managed, particularly with regards to HSE.

Other projects in North America, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia and China are also giving rise to increased technology developments to fully understand the complexities involved.

SOGAT 2010 has been specifically designed to debate the approaches required in ensuring that the technologies and solutions for efficient sour gas production and processing are fully understood and can be successfully implemented in ongoing worldwide projects.