Patent ID: 8652435

Claim:
A desulfurization process comprising the following steps in combination: a. continuously feeding a stream of sour hydrocarbon gas containing hydrogen sulfide to an absorber operating at a pressure P1, where P1 is >100 psig; b. contacting the sour gas with an aqueous catalyst solution within the absorber to convert the hydrogen sulfide to elemental solid sulfur and generating a spent catalyst solution containing the solid sulfur; c. removing a gas stream from the absorber; d. pumping the spent catalyst solution containing the solid sulfur into an oxidizer operating a pressure P2, where P2>P1+5 psi; e. controlling the pressure of the oxidizer by monitoring the absorber pressure and controlling a valve on the oxidizer vent line; f. oxidizing the spent catalyst solution using pressurized air within the oxidizer to form a regenerated catalyst solution; g. separating and removing the solid sulfur from the regenerated catalyst solution from the oxidizer; and h. removing the regenerated catalyst solution from the oxidizer.