Patent ID: 7901566

Claim:
A method of reforming a sulfur containing hydrocarbon comprising: contacting a sulfur containing hydrocarbon feed with steam and a sulfur tolerant catalyst at a temperature of at least about 300° C. for a predetermined amount of time so that the sulfur tolerant catalyst adsorbs at least a portion of sulfur in the sulfur containing hydrocarbon feed and reforms said feed, such that a low sulfur reformate is collected; and at least one of 1) contacting the sulfur tolerant catalyst with a gas comprising oxygen to convert at least a portion of adsorbed sulfur to a sulfur oxide that is desorbed from the sulfur tolerant catalyst, and 2) contacting the sulfur tolerant catalyst with a mixture comprising hydrocarbon, steam, and oxygen to catalytically oxidize the hydrocarbon to generate an exotherm of sufficient intensity to remove at least a portion of the adsorbed sulfur; wherein said sulfur tolerant catalyst consists essentially of platinum, rhodium, a non-precious metal compound, and a non-sulfating carrier.