Low-cost removal of Sulfur from sour crude petroleum and distillates

The Helios Lightspeed Energy’s patent portfolio cost-effectively separates and removes Sulfur while reducing viscosity and nitrogen in crude oil and in faction fuels created from the liquefaction of low-quality, low-cost coal.

How the Lightspeed Energy Process Works

We use sonic energy to impose an oscillating pressure on a fluid. At low intensity, the wave induces motion and mixing. At higher intensities, oscillating pressure waves alternately stretch and compress the liquid, thereby creating expansive micro-bubbles, which then collapse during compression.

Micro-bubbles form during expansion because local pressure is falling below the vapor pressure of the liquid. When the bubbles collapse, the dissolved gases are free to interact. When they do, the result is hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas oxidizes organic sulfur, creating Sulfones that are easily removed either by liquid extraction or solid bed absorption.

Our oil and gas-configured equipment is sized to fit into a shipping container and is suitable for upstream, midstream, and downstream applications. Upstream, rather than fitting equipment into individual wells, the plan is to place the equipment right before the water and gas separator at the edge of the oilfield where the oil coming from all wells is uniform.

U.S. and Global Demand for our Processes: 

The world is transitioning to cleaner sources of energy, including solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, geothermal and nuclear power. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the percentage of global energy derived from cleaner energy sources is approximately 29.5%. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that crude oil will remain in demand well beyond 2050, given that oil has some 72 uses. Therefore, given continued reliance on fossil fuels, the Department of Energy is tasked with “assessing research and policy options to ensure stable, environmentally sustainable supplies of coal, oil, natural gas, and other critical materials such as rare earth elements.” 

The world is increasingly regulating allowable emissions of sulfur and nitrogen compounds into the atmosphere. In the U.S. and E.U., fuel sold at the pump may not exceed 15 parts per million (ppm) sulfur. At most of the refineries in India, for example, product is being produced for consumers at 700 ppm. Around the world, some 480 refineries will require modification in order to continue operating. 

In support of DoE’s pursuit of best demonstratable applicable technologies, Lightspeed Technologies is proposing two complimentary technologies. 

The first involves converting bituminous coal into synthetic crude. Prior success with that effort resulted in a long-duration contract for supplying coal-derived, refined synthetic crude (Syncrude) to Delta Airline’s Monroe Energy jet fuel supplier. 

The second technology involves combining a globally patented ultrasonic oxidative desulfurization process with our equipment to remove sulfur, nitrogen, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds from both conventional crude oil and coal-derived synthetic crude, while obtaining authoritative third-party lab data to definitively prove efficacy and cost-effectiveness for both the crude and resultant distillates. 

This second, ultrasound assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) process was first tested at Citgo's refinery at Lake Charles, LA; Citgo's lab analysis revealed superior refining efficacy with a less that one-year financial breakeven for refineries. Further, Citgo’s final report identified crude oil as the best end use for that technology. Hence the desire to use the two processes in series. 

Added Benefit It's GREEN. 

We remove sulfur, thereby reducing corrosion, acid rain, and smog. We will help clean up the hydrocarbon industry while we are waiting for renewable energy sources to catch up. And it helps the EPA achieve their mandate. As well as making us revenue by qualifying for Carbon Credits. 

The current average cost of installing advanced hydrotreating, per 300,000 bbl/day refinery, exceeds $1.5 billion. Lightspeed Energy’s solution costs, on average, $100 million (potentially invoiceable at $150 million … with follow on royalty revenue on a per gallon basis). Without the Lightspeed solution, most refineries requiring modification will simply shut down. India, for example, has a budget of US $2 billion to retrofit 9 refineries, which obviously doesn’t work if a single implementation were to cost $1.5 billion. Similarly, China’s Sinopec has 5 refineries which aren’t worth retrofit at $1.5 billion apiece.