Patent ID: 7121115

Claim:
A method for treating a natural gas containing hydrocarbons, between 20 and 45% by mole hydrogen sulfide, and water, wherein the following stages are carried out: a) cooling the natural gas so as to condense water and to recover a gaseous effluent, b) distilling the gaseous effluent obtained in stage a) so as to obtain a liquid phase and a gas phase, and cooling said gas phase to a temperature ranging from −40° C. to 0° C. so as to obtain a condensate and a gaseous effluent depleted in hydrogen sulfide and in water, c) contacting at least part of the gaseous effluent obtained in stage b) with a first physical solvent at a temperature ranging between −40° C. and 0° C. so as to obtain a liquid effluent and a treated gas depleted in hydrogen sulfide, d) expanding the liquid effluent obtained in stage c) so as to obtain a hydrocarbon-depleted liquid effluent and a gaseous effluent containing hydrocarbons, and e) contacting the gaseous effluent obtained in stage d) with a second physical solvent so as to obtain a liquid effluent containing hydrogen sulfide and a fuel containing hydrocarbons.