Hydrogen sulfide removal is a long-standing economic and environmental challenge faced by the oil and gas industries. H₂S separation processes using reactive and non-reactive absorption and adsorption, membranes, and cryogenic distillation are reviewed. A detailed discussion is presented on new developments in adsorbents, such as ionic liquids, metal oxides, metals, metal–organic frameworks, zeolites, carbon-based materials, and composite materials; and membrane technologies for H₂S removal. This Review attempts to exhaustively compile the existing literature on sour gas sweetening and to identify promising areas for future developments in the field.