US Patent 7727383 Process for producing petroleum oils with ultra-low nitrogen content

A highly effective liquid-liquid extraction process to remove nitrogen compounds and especially basic nitrogen compounds from aromatic light petroleum oils with excellent recovery employs de-ionized water, which can be acidified, as the extractive solvent. The product is an aromatic hydrocarbon with ultra-low amounts of nitrogen poisons that can deactivate acidic catalysts. The extracted oils are suitable feedstock for the subsequent catalytic processes that are promoted with the high performance solid catalysts, which are extremely sensitive to nitrogen poison.