Patent ID: 8636905

Claim:
A process for treating a hydrocarbon oil contaminated with volatile phosphorus contaminants, comprising the steps of: a) adding an acid activated clay to the hydrocarbon oil to create a hydrocarbon oil and clay slurry; b) mixing the hydrocarbon oil and clay slurry for a time sufficient to effect volatile phosphorus removal from the hydrocarbon oil; c) separating the hydrocarbon oil and clay slurry to form a separated clay containing phosphorus compounds and a hydrocarbon oil component wherein the hydrocarbon oil component is substantially free of the volatile phosphorus contaminants and wherein the separation of volatile phosphorus contaminants from the hydrocarbon oil occurs within a hydrocarbon phase; d) adding an acid activated clay to the hydrocarbon oil component from step c) to create a second hydrocarbon oil and clay slurry; e) mixing the second hydrocarbon oil and clay slurry; and f) separating the second hydrocarbon oil and clay slurry to form a second separated clay containing phosphorus compounds and a second hydrocarbon oil component wherein the second hydrocarbon oil component is substantially free of the volatile phosphorus contaminants.