Research done on the development of a process to desulfurize oil sands coke is described. Solvent extraction, steam treatment alone, steam treatment in the presence of sodium compounds, treatment with steam and air mixtures, hydrodesulfurization and preoxidation followed by hydrodesulfurization have been investigated. It has been found that oxidative pretreatment of oil sands coke with air at low temperatures enhances the rate of sulfur removal during the subsequent hydrodesulfurization. Up to 75% of the sulfur present in the oil sands coke can be removed by preoxidizing the coke at 530°F for eight hours followed by hydrodesulfurization with hydrogen at 1200°F for eight hours using shallow fluidized beds of –20 mesh coke particles. Yields of purified coke of approximately 56% were obtained from this process.