A membrane is used in combination with fractionation and
hydrodesulfurization to reduce the sulfur content of hydrocarbon feeds,
preferably sulfur-containing naphtha feeds. A membrane separation zone is
employed to treat a fraction of effluent from a fractionation zone
containing sulfur-containing non-aromatic hydrocarbons to produce a
sulfur rich permeate and sulfur deficient retentate. The sulfur rich
permeate and a second fraction of the fractionation zone, which contains
sulfur-containing aromatic hydrocarbons, are further treated in a
hydrodesulfurization zone. The stream from the hydrodesulfurization zone
and the sulfur deficient retentate from the membrane separation zone are
then processed as low sulfur hydrocarbon streams, especially those
streams being processed in the manufacture of gasoline when the initial
hydrocarbon stream is naphtha from a fluidized catalytic cracking unit.