Acid gas

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Acid gas or Sour gas, also sour acid gas or acid sour gas, is natural gas which contains up to 20% hydrogen sulfide contaminant by weight. It may also contain the aromatic hydrocarbons benzene, toluene, mixed xylenes and ethylbenzene. See natural gas condensate.

Due to the presence of hydrogen sulfide, acid gas is toxic. Before this type of natural gas can be used, the acid gas is treated to remove the hydrogen sulfide, producing elemental sulphur as a by-product. Natural gas can also contain mercury.

The presence of hydrogen sulfide also brings special demands on the materials for the installations handling sour gas, as many metals are sensitive to sulphide stress cracking.

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