Process for the demercaptanization of petroleum distillates

摘要

The demercaptanizaiton of petroleum distillates can be carried out by sorption of the mercaptan with activated carbon and oxidation of the sorbed mercaptan to disulfide at between approximately 20° C. to 55° C. The activated carbon used in the process is commercially readily available. Its surface area typically ranges from between approximately 500 to 1500 m2/g and has substantial percentage of the pores in the 10 to 100 Angstrom range.