BASF and the Petroleum Institute (PI) of Abu Dhabi intend to develop new processes for removing aggressive sulfur compounds from acid gases in a research collaboration. The two parties signed the agreement these days.

The research activities of BASF and PI will focus on methods that show a favorable energy balance. One example is the use of membranes, which are being utilized today to remove hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2) from acid gases. Another research target will be on exploring the use of adsorbents to develop methods with low energy consumption. Adsorbents are usually porous substances that are insoluble in water. Their large surface area enables them to bond with other molecules through physical forces.

“We look forward to this collaboration because the Petroleum Institute is contributing its excellent expertise in the research, development and production of membranes and adsorbents to the research cooperation,” said Dr. Jens Rudolph, who is responsible for the Middle East region in the OASE gas treatment team of BASF.

The cooperation of BASF and PI was initiated under the guidance of Dr. Cornelis Peters, Professor at the Chemical Engineering Department in the PI. “With decades of practical experience in many areas of gas treatment and its focus on innovation, BASF is a much appreciated research partner for us,” said Professor Dr. Ahmed Abdalla, Department Deputy Chair and Associate Professor, PI, managing the adsorbent development part of the project. “Both BASF and PI complement each other’s capabilities in developing efficient and economical gas treatment processes”, said Professor Dr. Vikas Mittal, Associate Professor at PI’s Chemical Engineering Department, managing the development of membranes for gas separation.