Patent ID: 8658027

Claim:
A process for desulfurizing a hydrocarbon feed stream containing organosulfur compounds comprising: a. subjecting the hydrocarbon feed stream to a hydrotreating reaction, wherein the hydrocarbon feed stream is contacted with hydrogen to convert a portion of the organosulfur compounds into a hydrotreated effluent containing hydrogen sulfide and a mixture of hydrocarbons, the mixture of hydrocarbons having a reduced organosulfur compound content as compared to the hydrocarbon feed stream; b. passing the hydrotreated reaction effluent to a high pressure separator to remove gaseous components and produce a high pressure separator hydrocarbon effluent stream, c. mixing the high pressure separator hydrocarbon effluent stream with an oxidant and an oxidation catalyst resulting in a combined stream; d. introducing the combined stream into a low pressure separator, wherein a portion of the remaining organosulfur compounds from the hydrotreated reaction effluent are oxidized; e. separating the combined stream in the low pressure separator into a gas overhead stream containing a portion of the hydrogen sulfide, ammonia gas and any light hydrocarbons, a water stream containing excess water, ammonium sulfide salt, any unreacted oxidant and any oxidation reaction products dissolved in water, and a liquid hydrocarbon stream containing hydrocarbons and oxidation reaction products including sulfoxides and/or sulfones; f. separating the liquid stream in an extraction unit into an oxidation reaction product stream and hydrocarbon product stream having a reduced organosulfur compound content as compared to the hydrotreated reaction effluent.