Flow Impairment by Deposited Sulfur - A Review of 50 Years of Research

Abstract Sulfur deposition in the reservoir formation and its impact on well productivity and ultimate recovery has been investigated for close to 50 years. Experimental measurements and numerical modeling studies have focused on the phase behavior of the sulfur-sour gas mixture system and the flow of sulfur and natural gas through the formation. The key results from these investigations are reviewed in this paper. The implementation of the insights gained over these 50 years of research into the field development planning and operation of sour gas fields is described.