Removal of objectionable sulfur compounds from mineral oil distillates

Claim 1

METHOD FOR REMOVING HYDROGEN SULFIDE FROM A LIGHT MINERAL OIL DISTILLATE BY USE OF A TREATING AGENT WHICH IS REGENERATED DURING THE PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES: CONTACTING AN H2S-CONTAINING LIGHT MINERAL OIL DISTILLATE IN LIQUID PHASE WITH A LIQUID AQUEOUS TREATING AGENT COMPRISING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AN IRON SALT HAVING A WEAKLY ACIDIC, ORGANIC ANION AND HAVING SOLUBILITY IN WATER GREATER THAN 10 GRAMS PER LITER AT ORDINARY TEMPERATURES WITHOUT HEATING , THEREBY TO REACT HYDROGEN SULFIDE IN SAID DISTILLATE WITH SAID IRON SALT TO FORM IRON SULFIDE IN SAID AQUEOUS TREATING AGENT; CONTACTING SAID AQUEOUS TREATING AGENT WITH FREE-OXYGEN-CONTAINING GAS THEREBY TO REACT SAID IRON SULFIDE IN SAID AQUEOUS TREATING AGENT WITH THE OXYGEN IN SAID GAS TO FORM ELEMENTAL SULFUR IN SAID AQUEOUS TREATING AGENT AND TO REGENERATE SAID AQUEOUS TREATING AGENT; AND REUSING THE REGENERATED TREATING AGENT FOR CONTACTING WITH ADDITIONAL H2S-CONTAINING LIGHT MINERAL OIL DISTILLATES.