Process for initial removal of sulfur compounds from gaseous hydrocarbon feedstocks before removal of arsenic therefrom

Claim 2

In a process for reducing the arsenic content of a gaseous hydrocarbon stream by contacting the stream with a sorbent, dispersed upon a supporting material, said sorbent comprising copper or an oxide of copper and having an oxygen uptake value of at least 5, the improvement comprising: first removing sulfur compounds from said stream to render said stream substantially free of sulfur compounds before said stream is treated for the reduction of its arsenic content.

Claim 3

The improvement recited in claim 3 wherein said sulfur compounds consist essentially of hydrogen sulfide.

Claim 4

In a process for reducing the arsenic content of a gaseous hydrocarbon stream by contacting the stream with a sorbent dispersed upon a supporting material, said sorbent comprising lead oxide, the improvement comprising: first removing sulfur compounds from said stream to render said stream substantially free to sulfur compounds before said stream is treated for the reduction of its arsenic content.

Claim 5

The improvement recited in claim 5 wherein said sulfur compounds consist essentially of hydrogen sulfide.

Claim 6

A process which comprises: treating a charge stock comprising a major portion of gaseous hydrocarbons which have from one to five carbon atoms per molecule, at least 20 parts per billion of arsenic, and at least 1 part per million of a gaseous sulfur containing compound, to remove said sulfur containing compound; and thereafter contacting the feedstream substantially free of said sulfur compounds with a metal oxide sorbent dispersed upon a supporting material.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 7 wherein the sorbent material is lead oxide.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 7 wherein the sorbent material is copper oxide.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 9 wherein at least a portion of said sulfur compounds is removed by contacting the charge stock with an aqueous solution of an amine.

Claim 10

A process which comprises: treating a charge stock comprising a major portion of gaseous hydrocarbons which havE from one to five carbon atoms per molecule, at least 20 parts per billion of arsenic, and at least one part per million of a gaseous sulfur containing compound, to remove said sulfur containing compound by a sequential two-step process involving first contacting said charge stock with an aqeuous solution of an amine followed by contacting of the gaseous hydrocarbon with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide; and thereafter contacting the charge stock substantially free of said sulfur compounds with a metal oxide sorbent dispersed upon a supporting material.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 11 wherein the amine is a monoethanol amine and the alkali metal hydroxide is sodium hydroxide and the metal oxide sorbent is copper oxide.

Claim 12

A process which comprises: treating a charge stock comprising a major portion of gaseous hydrocarbons which have from one to five carbon atoms per molecule; at least 20 parts per billion of arsenic; and at least one part per million of a gaseous sulfur containing compound, to remove said sulfur containing compound; thereafter contacting the charge stocks substantially free of said sulfur compound with a metal oxide sorbent dispersed upon a supporting material at a temperature from 80* to 250*F.; and thereafter recovering said gaseous hydrocarbon stream having less than 20 parts per billion of arsenic.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 13 wherein the sorbent material is lead oxide.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 13 wherein the sorbent material is copper oxide.