The invention is a method of removing sulfur from a hydrocarbon feed using
the steps of dissolving metallic sodium in a solvent and combining the
sodium/solvent solution with a liquid hydrocarbon feed containing an
organosulfur species. The pressure of combination is above the vapor
pressure of the solvent. The combined hydrocarbon feed and solvent
solution are placed in a low pressure environment to vaporize the
solvent. The resulting stream is combined with hydrogen gas and this
stream is heated and pressurized to form a liquid hydrocarbon product
containing sodium sulfide. This product is then cooled, and the sodium
sulfide is extracted.