Method for capturing mercaptans using a mesoporous capture mass

A process for trapping mercaptans contained in a sulfur-containing hydrocarbon feedstock, comprising:

• contacting sulfur-containing hydrocarbon feedstock at a temperature of between 40° C. and 250° C., a pressure of between 0.2 MPa and 5 MPa, at an hourly space velocity, defined as the volume flow rate of feedstock at the inlet per volume of trapping mass, of between 0.1 h−1 and 50 h−1, with a trapping mass comprising an active phase based on at least one group VIII, IB or IIB metal, and a mesoporous support comprising a bimodal distribution of mesopores, said support being selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, silica-alumina, and clays, said trapping mass comprising a specific surface area of between 120 m2/g and 350 m2/g, and:
• the volume of mesopores with a diameter greater than or equal to 2 nm and less than 20 nm corresponds to between 35% and 70% by volume of the total pore volume of said trapping mass;
• the volume of mesopores with a diameter greater than or equal to 20 nm and less than 50 nm corresponds to between 25% and 60% by volume of the total pore volume of said trapping mass.