Mercaptans from gas condensates and crude oils

Industrial separation schemes are described, and promising areas of application of mercaptans from gas condensate and kerosene distillates of medium-sulfur crude oils are noted. The fields of mercaptan-containing gas condensates and crude oils in regions confined to the Caspian Sea basin opened up with the development of deep drilling technology. Many of these fields have been industrially exploited in the Astrakhan' regions of the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Production of Markovo crude oil in the Irkutsk region with a uniquely high mercaptan content has begun. Production of heavy carbonaceous crudes containing up to 50-80 ppm methyl- and ethylmercaptans is increasing at high rates in the region between the Volga and the Urals.