A process for concurrently fractionating and hydrotreating a full range
naphtha stream. The full boiling range naphtha stream is subjected to
simultaneous hydrodesulfurization and splitting into a light boiling
range naphtha and a heavy boiling range naphtha, which have been treated
to convert mercaptans in the fractions to H.sub.2S, which is separated
with and separated from the light naphtha which is further
hydrodesulfurized by contacting the light boiling range naphtha with
hydrogen in countercurrent flow in a fixed bed of hydrodesulfurization
catalyst to remove recombinant mercaptans which are formed by the reverse
reaction of H.sub.2S with olefins in the naphtha during the initial
hydrodesulfurization wherein the improvement comprises fractionating said
portion of light boiling range naphtha to remove a lighter fraction
thereof from said countercurrent flow reactor before contact of said
lighter fraction with said fixed bed catalyst, because the lighter
fraction is substantially free of mercaptans and is not benefitted by
further treatment.