Danger and Detection of Hydrogen Sulphide Gas in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production

A rig worker smells rotten eggs near the well head, rubs his itchy eyes as he investigates the frosty pipe connections. After a few moments, he believes all is fine as he no longer smells the tell-tale hydrogen sulphide odour. In this scenario, we can only hope the worker recognises the danger and quickly leaves the site. Oil fields, especially mature ones, can produce hydrogen sulphide gas ? deadly at relatively low concentrations. On average, a person takes 12 breaths per minute, so if a hydrogen sulphide (H2S) gas release occurs, a person might have a very few seconds to reach safety. Crucial to safety, effective hydrogen sulphide gas detection is the topic of this article.