Desulfurization of a hydrocarbon oil

Claim 1

THE PROCESS FOR REMOVING SULFUR COMPOUNDS FROM A HYDROCARBON OIL WHICH COMPRISES TREATING A HYDROCARBON OIL WHICH CONTAINS SULFUR COMPOUNDS WHILE SUBSTANTIALLY IN VAPOR FORM WITH HYDROGEN IN THE PRESENCE OF A CONTACT COMPRISING A POROUS CARRIER ON WHICH IS DEPOSITED A METALLIFEROUS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF IRON GROUP METALS AND THEIR OXIDES AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 600* AND 950* F. AND A PRESSURE BETWEEN ABOUT 100 AND 1000 P.S.I.G. TERMINATING SAID TREATMENT WHEN A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL AND SULFIDE HAS BEEN FORMED ON THE CONTACT, TREATING THE CONTACT WITH HYDROGEN AT A PRESSURE BETWEEN ABOUT 100 AND 2000 P.S.I.G., AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 950* AND 1400* F. WHEREBY A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF THE CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL ON THE CONTACT IS CONVERTED INTO HYDROCARBON VAPORS WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL CONVERSION OF THE SULFIDE MATERIAL ON THE CONTACT INTO HYDROGEN SULFIDE, SUBJECTING THE CONTACT TO A COMBUSTION REGENERATION TREATMENT TO REMOVE MOST OF THE REMAINING CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL AND TO CONVERT SAID METALLIFEROUS MATERIAL INTO ITS ORIGINAL FORM AND AGAIN TREATING A HYDROCARBON OIL WHICH CONTAINS SULFUR COMPOUNDS WHILE SUBSTANTIALLY IN VAPOR PHASE WITH HYDROGEN IN THE PRESENCE OF THE REGENERATED CONTACT UNDER THE CONDITIONS SPECIFIED ABOVE.