Abstract:
PetroChina Southwest Oil & Gasfield Company (hereinafter referred to as "the Company") is the primary producer of sulfur natural gas in the Sichuan Basin. The Company currently operates 13 sulfur natural gas purification plants, with a maximum processing capacity of 81.6 million m³/d. In 2022, the actual processing volume accounted for 59% of the Company’s total production. The natural gas purification plants in the Company's sulfur-containing gas fields predominantly employ the amine desulfurization process. Since the commissioning of the first desulfurization unit in 1965, the Company has accumulated nearly 60 years of technological advancements and operational management experience in natural gas purification. After years of technical research and production practice, significant progress has been made in the evaluation and control of corrosion in sulfur natural gas purification plants. The corrosion of the equipment has been effectively controlled, which basically meets the stable operation requirements of the equipment under annual maintenance. In line with the objectives of the 14th Five-Year Plan, the Company has launched a new round of scientific and technological research and production practices aimed at addressing emerging corrosion challenges. These efforts are driven by the need to ensure the long-term, stable operation of the purification units. This paper reviews the advancements in corrosion control technologies in the Company’s sulfur-containing natural gas purification plants since the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan. The review covers four main areas: ① Failure modes and analytical methods for key equipment and facilities in the purification plants; ② Identification of primary corrosion factors and exploration of corrosion mechanisms in desulfurization solution systems; ③ Corrosion control measures in material selection, process optimization, and operational parameter control; ④ The application and effectiveness of corrosion monitoring and detection technologies. Finally, based on current operational challenges and technological trends, the paper provides an outlook on future developments, offering valuable insights for corrosion management, safe operation, and integrity management in domestic sulfur natural gas purification plants.