Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)

&
Sulfur Dioxide (S02)
Basic
Awareness Training

RJR Safety Inc 1

Learning Objectives
Hydrogen Sulfide and Sulfur Dioxide
• Describe them physically
• Identify potential sources
• Recognize the hazards
• Determine monitoring/detection methods
• Identify necessary PPE
• Discuss basic safe work practices

RJR Safety Inc 2

Resources & References

• ANSI Z390.1
– “Accepted Practices for Hydrogen Sulfide
(H2S) Training Programs”
• API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 49
– “Recommended Practice for Drilling & Well
Servicing Operations Involving Hydrogen
Sulfide” (March 2007)
• OSHA E-Tool - “Oil & Gas Well Drilling & Servicing”
• MSDS & NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
• OSHA Regulations 1910 & 1926
RJR Safety Inc 3

RJR Safety Inc 1

 HYDROGEN SULFIDE
• One of the most deadly
hazards found in the oil
and gas field

4
Health 4
Fire 4 4 0
Reactivity 0 0
PPE
RJR Safety Inc 4

SULFUR DIOXIDE
• By-product of Hydrogen Sulfide burning

0
Health *3
Fire Hazard 0 3 0
Reactivity 0 0
PPE
RJR Safety Inc 5

Description Hydrogen Sulfide

• Other Names (AKA)
– Swamp Gas
– Devil’s Breath
– Sour Gas
– H2 S
• Colorless Gas
• Heavier than air
• Smells of rotten eggs – small quantities
– Unable to smell in large concentrations
– Temporarily paralyzes sense of smell

RJR Safety Inc 6

RJR Safety Inc 2

 Description Sulfur Dioxide
• Colorless Gas
• Heavier than air
• Smells of burning Sulfur - Burnt matches

RJR Safety Inc 7

Origins of Hydrogen Sulfide

‚ Oilfields - Drilling & Production

‚ Mines ‚ Volcanoes

By-Product of Chemical Process

‚ Pulp/Paper Industry ‚ Felt Makers

‚ Fishing Industry ‚ Tanneries

‚ Municipal Sewers ‚ Landfills

Sources of Hydrogen Sulfide

• Natural gas and crude oil
• Condensate and produced water
• Operations - drilling, work over, production
• Pipelines

RJR Safety Inc 9

RJR Safety Inc 3

 Sources of Hydrogen Sulfide
• Confined spaces
– Excavation & trenches
– Production tanks
– Fracturing tanks
– Mud tanks
– Cellars

RJR Safety Inc 10

Sources of Sulfur Dioxide

• Burning of Hydrogen
Sulfide
– Flaring
– Blowout/burn of sour
gas well

RJR Safety Inc 11

Hazards of Hydrogen Sulfide

• Toxic – deadly in low concentrations (10 PPM)
• Highly Flammable
– Explosive Range of 4.3% to 46%
– Automatically ignites at 500 degrees F
• Cigarette burns at 1500 deg F

RJR Safety Inc 12

RJR Safety Inc 4

 Hazards of Hydrogen Sulfide
• Heavier than air
– Vapor Density = 1.18
– Air = 1
– Readily moved around by the wind
• Liquid Soluble
– In both water and liquid hydrocarbons
– Dissolves in water forming a weak acid
– Heat and agitation causes H2S gas to be
released from fluids.
RJR Safety Inc 13

Hazards of Hydrogen Sulfide

• Metal Fatigue – Brittle – Stress Cracking
• Creates a pyrophoric substance called
Iron Sulfide in pipes and tanks
– Spontaneously ignite upon contact with air

RJR Safety Inc 14

Control Measures
• Engineering Controls
– Containment
• In liquids
– Ventilation
• Vapors
– Flaring
• Vapors
• Creates Sulfur Dioxide

RJR Safety Inc 5

 Hazards of Sulfur Dioxide
• Toxic – deadly in low concentrations (2 ppm)
– Can cause chemical-induced pneumonia
• Corrosive
– Sulfurous acid when mixed with small
amounts of moisture
• Moisture in the lungs

RJR Safety Inc 16

Exposure Limits
• Hydrogen Sulfide • Sulfur Dioxide
– OSHA PEL 20 ppm – OSHA PEL 2 ppm
• (ACGIH TLV 10 ppm) • 0.0002%
• 0.002% • 8 hr TWA
• (ACGIH 0.001%) – OSHA STEL 5 ppm
• 8 hr TWA • 0.0005%
– OSHA STEL 15 ppm • 15 min.; 4x in 8 hrs.
• 0.0015% – IDLH 100 ppm
• 15 min.; 4x in 8 hrs. • 0.1%
– IDLH 100 ppm (0.1%) • Any amount of time
• Any amount of time
Parts Per Million (PPM)
• 1 part per 1,000,000 parts
• 1/1,000,000 = 0.000001 = 0.0001%
• Oxygen average 21% or 210,000 ppm
RJR Safety Inc 17

PPM Toxicity Table (Hydrogen Sulfide)

0.13 Begin to smell odor
4.6 Moderate rotten egg smell
10 (PEL) Start eye irritation
27 Strong rotten egg odor
100 Loss of sense of smell, coughing, eye
irritation (IDLH)
200-300 Eye irritation, respiratory tract irritation after
60 minutes
500-700 Rapid unconsciousness; death in 30-60 min.
700- Immediate unconsciousness; death
1000 RJR Safety Inc 18

RJR Safety Inc 6

 Routes of Exposure

Hydrogen Sulfide Sulfur Dioxide

Eyes Moderately Severely corrosive
irritating
Skin Moderately Severely corrosive
irritating
Inhalation Very toxic

RJR Safety Inc 19

Symptoms of Exposure
• Skin irritation • Coughing
• Eyes irritation • Headache
• Dizziness • Loss of appetite
• Irrational behavior • Loss of
• Fatigue consciousness
• Dryness in nose & • Death
throat
• Nausea

RJR Safety Inc 20

Methods of Detection
• Lead acetate paper Do not use
• Detection tubes your nose as
• Personal Monitor
a Detector!
• Portable Gas Detector
• Fixed Monitor
• Assessing or Monitoring
– Prepare for potential lethal concentrations
– Use Respiratory Protection Equipment

RJR Safety Inc 21

RJR Safety Inc 7

 Personal Monitor
• Single Gas
– Oxygen Content (O2)
– Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
– Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
– Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)
• Badge-mount
• Clip-mount
• Audible Alarm
• Lasts about 1-2 yrs
• Disposable
RJR Safety Inc 22

Portable Gas Detector

• Oxygen Content (O2)
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
• Lower Explosive Limit (LEL)
• Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
• Sulfur Dioxide (SO2)

• Rechargeable
• Zero before use
• Confined Space Uses

RJR Safety Inc 23

Detector Tubes
• Similar to a Single Gas Detector
• Tubes change color according to
concentrations

RJR Safety Inc 24

RJR Safety Inc 8

 Fixed Monitor
• Single or Multi-gas
Detector
• Placed at potential
exposure locations
• Data Logging
• Visual Alarm

RJR Safety Inc 25

API Recommended Practice

• Action Levels
– Hydrogen Sulfide 10 ppm
– Sulfur Dioxide 2 ppm
• If concentrations could exceed Action
Levels
– Detection devices shall be available on-site
• Clear understanding in Operations of who
provides the detection equipment
Evacuation Alarm at 10 ppm or 2 ppm
RJR Safety Inc 26

Safe Briefing Areas

• Assembly points in case of an emergency
• Two designated areas, minimum
– 90 degrees from prevailing winds
– Plan on up to 90 degree wind direction
change
• Locations of safe briefing areas.

RJR Safety Inc 27

RJR Safety Inc 9

 Wind Direction Indicators
• Be very aware of wind direction
• Windsocks, streamers, flags
• Visible from anywhere on site
– Illuminated areas
– Briefing areas
– Entrances
• Possible locations
– Guy lines, vertical poles
RJR Safety Inc 28

Safe Briefing Safe Briefing

Area No.2A Area No.2B
(secondary) (secondary)

Prevailing Wind Direction

Safe Briefing
Access
Area No.1
Road -
(Primary)
Primary

RJR Safety Inc 29

Immediate Action Plan

• Alarms Sound – EVACUATE!!!
– Don emergency escape packs
– Assist others
– Proceed to safe briefing area
• Pre-designated
• According to wind direction
– Account for all persons
• Workers
• Contractors
• Visitors
• Self-rescue
RJR Safety Inc 30

RJR Safety Inc 10

 Self-Rescue
• Protect yourself by self-rescue:
– Physically removing yourself from area, or
– Putting on an emergency escape pack

Personal Protective Equipment

• Respiratory Protection
– Written Program per 1910.134
– Must be medically fit for respirator use
– Medical Evaluation Questionnaire (Mandatory)
• Appendix C, 1910.134
– Fit testing procedures
– Respirator use
– Cleaning & Maintenance
– Training

• More specific & in-depth training is needed

RJR Safety Inc 32

Respirator Selection

• Full-face piece

• SCBA: positive
pressure
breathing
equipment;
RJR Safety Inc 33

RJR Safety Inc 11

 Emergency Escape
Respirator
• Turn the bottle on,
then the hood
• Your first!!!
• 5 minutes of air
• Escape only!!!

RJR Safety Inc 34

Warning Signs
• Posted at
appropriate
locations such as:
– Entrance points for
sites or operations
where Hydrogen
Sulfide may be
encountered

RJR Safety Inc 35

Location Entry Warning Signs

• Typical Entry
Warning Sign used
on H2S Locations.

• A colored flag will be

placed in the corner
of the sign to
indicate current
danger status.

RJR Safety Inc 12

 Site Classifications
• According to potential or actual exposure
to Hydrogen Sulfide
• Four API Classifications
– No Hazard Condition (no known H2S)
• No special precautions/equipment
– Condition I – Low Hazard (<10 ppm)
• Potential hazard; routine operations
– Condition II – Medium Hazard (10-30 ppm)
• Moderate hazard; Stay in Safe Briefing Area
– Condition III – High Hazard (>30ppm)
• Extreme Hazard;RJR
Community
Safety Inc
Evacuation 37

Safe Work Practices

• Specific to areas with suspected or known
concentrations of Hydrogen Sulfide &
Sulfur Dioxide
• Wind Direction Indicators should be
prominently displayed
– Maintain wind direction awareness
• Approach equipment from upwind

RJR Safety Inc 38

Safe Work Practices

• Use appropriate air monitoring equipment
• Wear PPE - Respiratory Protection
– Emergency Escape Pack
• Approach areas where gas may collect:
– Excavations, low areas, ditches, or buildings
• When SCBA or SAR in use in a specific
area, all non-essential personnel will proceed
to a Safe Briefing Area

RJR Safety Inc 39

RJR Safety Inc 13

 Case Study of H2S Fatalities
• Case #1 –worker collapsed after
descending into a fifteen foot deep sewer
to collect water samples. He encountered
high concentrations of H2S & died
• 2 would be rescuers also collapsed & died

• No one survived! – 3 fatalities

RJR Safety Inc 40

Case Study of H2S Fatalities

• Case #2 – In 2005 a vacuum truck driver
in went to check a tank that he was told
had 25ppm H2S produced fluid in it prior to
taking a load. When he opened the tank
hatch, he got hit in the face with a large
concentration of H2S and died before he
could do much more than turn around.

RJR Safety Inc 41

Additional Training Req’d.

• H2S gas is dangerous to the uninformed
and complacent person
• To work in or around H2S requires you
obtain additional specialized training

• Be alert, be knowledgeable, stay alive.!!

RJR Safety Inc 42

RJR Safety Inc 14

 Additional Training Req’d.
• Respiratory Protection
– SCBA or Supplied air
– Training
– Medical Evaluation
– Fit testing
• Monitor/Detector Training
• Confined Space Entry Training
• First-aid/CPR
• Rescue Training
RJR Safety Inc 43

Summary
Hydrogen Sulfide and Sulfur Dioxide
• Physical Descriptions of each
• Potential sources
• Reviewed the hazards
• Monitoring/detection methods
• Required PPE
• Basic safe work practices

RJR Safety Inc 44

Questions or Comments?

Thank you!

Wayne Vanderhoof CSP

RJR Safety Inc.
“Working Safe, Preventing Injuries, Increasing Profits”

45

RJR Safety Inc 15