Patent ID: 7074375

Claim:
A method for desulfurizing a hydrocarbon gas, the hydrocarbon gas comprising a hydrocarbon and a sulfur compound, the method comprising: (a) increasing the O 2 content of the hydrocarbon gas to establish an O 2 /C mole ratio in the hydrocarbon gas within the range of about 0.01 to less than 0.3; then (b) contacting the hydrocarbon gas with an oxidation catalyst, wherein at least a portion of the sulfur compound is oxidized to SO x and wherein the hydrocarbon gas is within the temperature range of about 200â€“600Â° C. when contacting the oxidation catalyst; then (c) contacting the SO x with an adsorbent capable of adsorbing SO x , wherein at least a portion of the SO x is adsorbed on the adsorbent.