Process for removing oxygenated contaminants from an hydrocarbon stream

Abstract

The present invention is a process for removing oxygenated contaminants and water from an hydrocarbon stream comprising: introducing the contaminated hydrocarbon stream in a gaseous phase in an absorption zone, contacting said hydrocarbon stream in said absorption zone with an absorbent capable to absorb water and oxygenated contaminants at conditions effective to produce, an overhead hydrocarbon stream having a reduced oxygenated contaminants and water content and an absorbent bottoms stream comprising the absorbent, hydrocarbons and having an enhanced oxygenated contaminants and water content, introducing the above absorbent bottoms stream in a stripping zone at conditions effective to produce, an absorbent bottoms stream essentially free of hydrocarbons, oxygenated contaminants and water and an overhead stream comprising essentially hydrocarbons, water and the oxygenated contaminants, recycling the absorbent bottoms stream of the stripping zone to the absorption zone, optionally fractionating the overhead stream from the stripping zone to recover the hydrocarbons, optionally sending the overhead of the absorption zone to a caustic wash to remove the acidic components and recovering an hydrocarbon stream essentially free of water and oxygenated contaminants.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.