Patent ID: 8846997

Claim:
A process for removing oxygenated contaminants and water from an hydrocarbon stream comprising: introducing a contaminated hydrocarbon stream in a gaseous phase in an absorption zone, contacting said contaminated hydrocarbon stream in said absorption zone at a pressure of at least 5 bars with an alcohol capable to absorb water and oxygenated contaminants at conditions effective to produce: an overhead hydrocarbon stream having a reduced oxygenated contaminants and water content, and an absorbent bottoms stream comprising the alcohol and hydrocarbons, wherein the absorbent bottoms stream has an enhanced oxygenated contaminants and water content, sending the overhead hydrocarbon stream of the absorption zone to a high pressure water wash column at a pressure of at least 5 bars, wherein the overhead hydrocarbon stream of the absorption zone is washed with water at conditions effective to produce an overhead hydrocarbon stream having a reduced oxygenated contaminants and an aqueous bottoms stream having an enhanced oxygenated contaminants content; sending the absorbent bottoms stream from the absorption zone to an alcohol distillation column at conditions effective to produce: an overhead comprising essentially oxygenated contaminants and hydrocarbons, optionally treated to recover the hydrocarbons, and an alcohol bottoms stream comprising water and essentially free of hydrocarbons and oxygenated contaminants, sending said alcohol bottoms stream to a process which has produced the contaminated hydrocarbon stream.