Sulfur demand

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the world s sulfur demand of about two million metric tons was met by sulfur produced from elemental deposits in Sicily, Italy, and from pyrite mined on the Iberian Peninsula. By 1995, sulfur was recovered in more than 78 countries. 

Plastics and Other Synthetic Products. Sulfur is used in the production of a wide range of synthetics, including cellulose acetate, cellophane, rayon, viscose products, fibers, and textiles. These uses may account for 2% of sulfur demand in developed countries. Sulfur intermediates for these manufacturing processes are equally divided between carbon disulfide and sulfuric acid. 

Paper Products. Paper (qv) products account for about 2% of sulfur demand. The largest single segment of demand is in the manufacture of wood pulp by the sulfite process (see Pulp). In this process, the main sulfur intermediate is sulfur dioxide, which is generally produced at the plant site by burning elemental sulfur. Some sulfur dioxide, however, is produced as a by-product at smelter operations, purified andUquefied, and shipped to the pulp mills. The sulfur dioxide is converted to sulfurous acid, and the salt of this acid is a principal component of the cooking Hquor for the sulfite process. 

The intervening years to 1981 have seen several world market sulfur demand cycles which have effected the rate of acceptance of these new sulfur sources but slowly the recovered sulfur product has taken its place alongside other world sulfur sources such as Frasch mined and pyrites. In very recent times there have even been moves to re-open very sour gas wells as sulfur wells as world demand for this key commodity has grown and prices have crossed 100/tonne FOB the plant gate. 

The importance of sulfur as an industrial chemical is discussed and forecasts of projected sulfur demand in the U.S. are given. Three processes for conversion of coal and oil shale to synthetic fuels are examined in some detail to show how the sulfur in the original feedstock material is recovered as elemental by-product sulfur. Three synthetic fuel scenarios are examined and their potential impact on sulfur availability with current and projected markets to the year 2000 are examined. 

The following forecast, (Table 1), based on published information by J. Shelton of the USBM (1), was used to predict the sulfur demand to the year 2000. The figures chosen on the top line are for probable demand based on a probable average annual growth rate of 4.3 percent between 1978 and 2000. The bottom line figures are for a growth rate of 2.3 percent annually. 

SUMMARY OF FORECAST OF U.S. SULFUR DEMAND (Thousands Short Tons)... 

The MITRE synfuels scenario, an optimistic estimate of the use of synfuels, would predict that 30 percent of projected sulfur demand would be met by by-product sulfur from synthetic fuels by the year 2000. If sulfur demand growth is only 2.3 percent, then 50 percent could be met by synfuels in 2000. 

Figure 7. Impact of sulfur recovered as by-product of synthetic fuels industry on projected sulfur demand to year 2000.

In 1979 sulfur obtained as a by-product from petroleum refining accounted for 19.7 percent of total sulfur produced in the U.S. The requirement to desulfurize residual fuels or alternatively to refine them to finished transportation fuels will result in a substantial increase in sulfur produced at refineries even if medium sweet crudes continue to be the primary refinery feedstock. However, most experts predict that crudes will become sourer in the future. The contribution from natural gas is an additional uncertainty. Conventional wisdom predicts that natural gas demand will maintain current levels or possibly decline over the next 20 years. The combination of these factors may increase conventional by-product sulfur from petroleum and natural gas by a factor of three or more by the year 2000. This would bring its sulfur contribution up to approximately 12 million tons by 2000, the same as that predicted by the MITRE estimate for synthetic fuels sulfur production. Thus, a possible total contribution of 60 percent of projected sulfur demand could be met by the combination of these by-product sources of sulfur. 

Over the six years from 1973 to 1978, sulfur production capability on a global basis increased from about 48 million long tons (sulfur equivalent) to about 55 million tons per year (2.8% per year). Since world sulfur demand has historically averaged well above 3 percent per year, the gap between demand and supply narrowed noticeably. It should not be surprising, therefore, that recently sulfur prices have begun to increase. 

In 1978, world sulfur demand (in all forms) totalled about 49 million long tons. This compares with U.S. sulfur demand in 1978 of about 12 million long tons. Over the coming decade, world sulfur demand is expected to increase to about 78 million long tons, with U.S. demand expanding to about 17 million long tons. Thus, by the end of the next decade, domestic sulfur uses will still account for 20-25% of world consumption. 

Between 1970 and 1978, U.S. sulfur demand grew from 9.2 to about 12 million long tons per year, equivalent to an average annual rate of increase of about 3.4 percent. Over the forecast period, we anticipate an average annual increase of about this same rate. Our estimate assumes that the U.S. will continue to maintain world leadership as an exporter of upgraded phosphates, and that growth in domestic phosphate fertilizer consumption will average about 3 percent per year. 

In Sections III, IV, and VI, several problems were identified that present obstacles to the achievement of the ultralow levels of sulfur demanded by new specifications for fuels in the not too distant future. These may be categorized into the following groups ... 

More than 90% of world sulfur consumption is used in the production of sulfuric acid, much of which goes to the fertilizer industry. Smaller amounts of sulfur are used in the manufacture of gunpowder, matches, phosphate, insecticides, fungicides, medicines, wood, and paper products, and in vulcanizing rubber. Despite slight uncertainties in sulfur demand in the 1990s, its use is still predicted to grow. 

Some of these uses are evidently developing into viable markets for sulfur. However, a leveling off of the increases in the sulfur production from recovery processes and increased sulfur demand for traditional uses has offset this pressing need for new markets. 

There was not just a demand for sulfur a nation s defense depended upon its procurement. Now, mines opened across Europe, at Bilderz in Bohemia, at Cracow, Poland (1415), in Volterra, Cesenate, and Pozzulo, Italy, at Hellin, Spain (1589) and the Hekla volcano in Iceland. Outside of Europe sulfur mines were found in Israel (Judea), Taiwan, India and Japan. While the discovery of gunpowder had produced industrial markets for sulfur, volumes were still limited. Even among the great military powers of Western Europe, sulfur demand was no more than a few hundred tonnes per year during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. 

The Spanish Civil War and World War II finally ruined the Spanish pyrites industry. Shipments had been blocked during these years, and alternatives had been found. After World War II, many new sulfuric acid plants were constructed in Europe to replace those that had been destroyed, and U.S. expansion was bolstered by economic growth, especially by demand for phosphate fertilizers. These new plants all used elemental sulfur (Contact process). While Spanish pyrites production returned to pre-war levels by 1950 (see Figure 2.5 for the early history of production), their market share had seriously eroded as sulfur demand, overall, had more than doubled. Pyrites mining as a source of sulfur continued in Spain until 2002. 

MG Chemiehandel of Germany and Elf Aquitaine (now Total) of France. As of the begiiming of the 21 century, Moroccan sulfur demand is more than two million tonnes per year. 

Between 1820 and 1824, British sulfur demand had averaged only 7,000 tonnes per year, but this quickly increased, after the salt tax was repealed. In the period 1825 and 1833, French demand was relatively steady, averaging 12,000 tonnes per year, but Britain roared past them as the major customer for Sicilian sulfur. 

In the early 1950 s, the President s Materials Policy Commission issued a report called Resources for Freedom. This presidential body made the bold projection that sulfur demand in the U.S. would reach 10.1 million tonnes by 1975. Demand in 1950 had been only 5.1 million tonnes. The projection was almost perfect. The... 

After World War I, pricing was expected to take a big hit, especially after the commissioning of the Big Hill Frasch mine in 1919. Then in 1920, there was a major economic downturn. The Frasch industry faced linaneial ruin. By 1920, sulfur stocks in the U.S. equaled five years supply In the seeond half of 1919, the price had dropped to 15, where it remained until 1926. However, by then the situation had turned around. The 1920 s were boom years, and sulfur demand soared. With increasing demand, the price returned to 18. Global pricing remained... 

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