(57) The invention concerns a process for the removal of sulphur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream, especially a gaseous hydrocarbon gas stream, which process comprises contacting said gas stream with an adsorbent comprising at least a zeolite having a pore diameter of at least 5 Å to adsorb the sulphur compounds thereon, the adsorption procedure followed by a regeneration procedure of used, loaded adsorbent by contacting the said loaded adsorbent with a regeneration gas stream having a relative water humidity between 1 - 100 % for certain steps of the regeneration and a water content of below 5 ppmV for other steps thus to replace the adsorbed sulphur compounds by water. Suitably the regeneration is followed by a dry regeneration treatment to finalize the regeneration. The process of the invention allows to send the sulphur compounds containing regeneration gas without further treatment of e.g. physical/chemical absorption for sulphur components concentration to an appropriate treatment for sulphur removal such as e.g. a Claus unit.