A PROCESS FOR TREATING A SOUR PETROLEUM DISTILLATE FOR REMOVING MERCAPTANS

摘要

A catalytic process for treating a mercaptan-containing sour petroleum distillate is disclosed. The distillate is contacted with a weakly basic anion exchange resin to separate a portion of the mercaptan content and substantially all of the acidic catalyst toxins or toxin precursors. The resulting distillate is subsequently treated in contact with a supported metal phthalocyanine catalyst in admixture with an oxidizing agent and an alkaline solution to convert the residual mercaptans to innocuous disulfides.