A PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF HYDROGEN DURING HYDROPROCESSING OF A FEEDSTOCK COMPRISING OXYGENATES

The present invention relates to a process and a process plant for partial hydroprocessing of a feedstock comprising oxygenates, comprising the steps of directing said feedstock, an amount of make-up hydrogen and a recycle gas to a catalytic hydrotreatment process under conditions converting 30-95% of oxygenates to hydrocarbons, to provide a partially hydroprocessed product stream, adding an amount of recycled wash water comprising at least 0.1 wt% oxygenates, to at least an amount of said hydroprocessed product stream, optionally in combination with a further amount of wash water, to provide a combined hydroprocessed product stream, cooling the combined hydroprocessed product stream and separating it in a vapor product fraction, a liquid aqueous fraction and a liquid product fraction, withdrawing as a waste stream a first amount of said liquid aqueous fraction either as a purge or by a purification process, directing as said amount of recycled wash water, at least a second amount of said liquid aqueous fraction. This is related to the benefit of minimizing the withdrawal of oxygenates in the wash water, since the wash water is at least partially saturated with oxygenates.