Process for the drying of a hydrocarbon stream

Process for the continuous drying of a hydrocarbon stream comprising the steps of:

• (a) contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a dried form of an ionic, liquid drying agent of a liquid salt of a fluorinated sulphonic acid;
• (b) providing the drying agent in a wet form by continuously removing water from the hydrocarbon steam;
• and
• (c) removing water from the drying agent in the wet form to obtain the dried form of the drying agent for use in step (a).