Dissolved hydrogen sulfide in oilfield water or mixed production can cause a multitude of issues. While H2S can be efficiently scavenged in the gas phase with triazine or amine towers, dissolved sulfide in the water phase can be more challenging to remove, especially as the concentration of sulfide approaches parts per million (ppm) level. Using triazines is an option to scavenge dissolved sulfide but necessitates using large volumes of chemical, requiring high treatment rates, and potentially introducing new issues such as scaling due to pH increase.

Acrolein is an effective oil and water-soluble sulfide scavenger most commonly used in batches of surface vessels or in downhole applications. It has also been used in North America via continuous application to scavenge low levels of H2S in both produced water and mixed phase production with few observed downstream side effects. This paper discusses historical usage of acrolein as well as recent novel applications showing marked performance benefit when compared to triazine products.