Methods and systems for treating petroleum feedstock containing organic acids and sulfur

A method for treating petroleum feedstock comprising:

• providing a petroleum feedstock comprising naphthenic acids and sulfur;
• reacting the naphthenic acid an aqueous solution or slurry containing an oxide or hydroxide of an alkaline earth element while heating to convert the naphthenic acid into alkaline earth naphthenates, thereby generating an alkaline earth naphthenate mixture;
• removing water from the alkaline earth naphthenate mixture to generate a dewatered mixture;
• reacting the sulfur in the dewatered mixture with an alkali metal and a radical capping gas to convert the sulfur into alkali sulfides;
• and
• removing the alkali sulfides.

A method for treating petroleum feedstock comprising:

• providing a petroleum feedstock comprising naphthenic acids and sulfur;
• reacting the naphthenic acid with an aqueous solution or slurry containing an oxide or hydroxide of an alkaline earth element while heating to convert the naphthenic acid into an alkaline earth naphthenate, thereby generating an alkaline earth naphthenate mixture;
• removing water from the alkaline earth naphthenate mixture to generate a dewatered mixture;
• heating the dewatered mixture to convert alkaline earth naphthenates into ketones and alkaline earth oxides or alkaline earth carbonates, thereby generating a ketone mixture;
• removing alkaline earth oxides or alkaline earth carbonates from the ketone mixture;
• reacting the sulfur in the ketone mixture with an alkali metal and a radical capping gas to convert the sulfur into alkali sulfides;
• and
• removing the alkali sulfide.