removed from the hc stream in the form of elemental sulfur without manipulating the hc itself or stripping off the h 2 s to form so 2 by oxidation in the best mode the amount of so 2 introduced into the hc stream containing h 2 s is slightly less than a 1 2 ratio of so 2 h 2 s this ensures complete use of the so 2 to prevent so 2 in the downstream which can be problematic such as the formation of so 3 and or h 2 so 4 however the h 2 s so 2 ratio can be adjusted according to the needs of the system and operator depending on what residue of h 2 s or so 2 can be tolerated or are desired downstream as depicted in fig1 in the preferred embodiment the first step of system 10 is the removal of h 2 s from inlet hydrocarbon stream 21 using the promoter so 2 in a claus reaction inlet hydrocarbon stream 21 may be refinery off gas petrochemical or chemical plant off gas natural gas or any other hydrocarbon stream in which h 2 s is to be removed hydrocarbon stream 21 comprises hydrocarbon s hc and h 2 s with the h 2 s typically of a concentration between 3 and 20 depending on the source of inlet hydrocarbon stream 21 and its make up inlet hydrocarbon stream 21 enters system 10 via main inlet line 12 in the preferred embodiment if inlet hydrocarbon.