Patent ID: 8313718

Claim:
A process for removing mercaptan derived from a hydrocarbon gas from a fossil fuel and/or refinery gas stream containing at least one additional acid gas comprising: (1) contacting in an absorbing zone, a gas comprising a mercaptan and a non-mercaptan acid gas with a solution of (a) a chemical solvent, a physical solvent or a mixture of chemical and physical solvents for the non-mercaptan acid gas and (b) an effective amount of at least one inclusion compound solubilized in said solution for said mercaptan, wherein the inclusion compound is selected from the group consisting of cyclodextrins, calixarenes, cucurbiturils and a mixture of one or more thereof, under conditions such that at least some of the mercaptan is taken up by the inclusion compound, and (2) providing at least a portion of a solvent rich effluent stream from step (1) to a stripping zone wherein the majority of the mercaptan is separated from the inclusion compound, and the mercaptan is substantially removed from the solvent, and returning a regenerated solvent to the absorbing zone.