Process for the removal of thiols from hydrocarbon oils

In the production of a hydrocarbon reformate from a hydrocrackable hydrocarbon oil by steps, including hydrodesulfurizing said oil, subjecting the resulting hydrodesulfurized oil to ordinary hydrocracking conditions and reforming the resulting hydrocrackate under platinum catalyzed hydrocarbon reforming conditions, the improvement comprising producing an improved feed for said reforming by removing residual thiol sulfur from said hydrocrackate by contacting said hydrocrackate in the liquid phase with a thiol scavenger, said hydrocrackate having a total sulfur-containing impurity content, calculated as sulfur, in the range below 1000 ppm, including at least 0.2 ppm of thiol impurity, said contacting being in the substantial absence of molecular oxygen and at a temperature in the range of from about 120.degree. C. to 400.degree. C., said scavenger comprising an essentially oil-insoluble solid composite having (1) a copper component and (2) a porous carrier component, having a surface area in the range of from about 20 to 1000 square meters per gram, said copper component being at least one thiol absorbing material selected from the group consisting of copper metal and copper compounds, and said carrier component being at least one carrier selected from the group consisting of inorganic refractory metal oxides and carbon, said contacting being continued so long as the resulting effluent oil has a thiol-sulfur content, calculated as sulfur, in the range below about 0.2 ppm.