Patent ID: 7425314

Claim:
A process for the removal of hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans from a gas stream having a high ratio of mercaptans to hydrogen sulphide and comprising hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans, wherein the process comprises: washing the gas stream with an aqueous washing solution comprising 10 to 45 wt % (based on total solution) of water, 10 to 40 wt % (based on total solution) of a physical solvent, and 20 to 60 wt % (based on total solution) of an amine, to yield a washed gas stream; followed by removing mercaptans from the washed gas stream by means of molecular sieves, in which process the amount of mercaptans removed by the aqueous washing solution from the gas stream is between 60 and 96% (of total removed mercaptans in steps one and two), and the amount of mercaptans removed by the molecular sieves is between 4 and 40% (of total removed mercaptans in step one and two).