1. A PROCESS FOR TREATING A HYDROCARBON FRACTION HAVING A CARBOXYLIC ACID CONTENT AS MEASURED BY AN ACID NUMBER IN EXCESS OF 0.1 TO PRODUCE A PRODUCT HAVING A REDUCED CARBOXYLIC ACID CONTENT AS MEASURED BY AN ACID NUMBER OF LESS THAN 0.1 WHICH COMPRISES: CONTACTING SAID PETROLEUM FRACTION AND A LOWER ALCOHOL HAVING THE FORMULA: ROH WHERE R IS A LOWER ALLKYL GROUP HAVING FROM 1 TO 3 CARBON ATOMS AND WHEREIN THE AMOUNT OF SAID LOWER ALCOHOL IS AT LEAST THAT AMOUNT STOICHIOMETRICALLY REQUIRED TO REDUCE THE ACID NUMBER OF THE HYDROCARBON FRACTION FROM IN EXCESS OF 0.1 TO LESS THAN 0.1; AT A TEMPERATURE FROM 200* F. TO THE THERMAL CRACKING TEMPERATURE OF SAID PETROLEUM FRACTION; AND WITH A SOLID CATALYST HAVING A SURFACE AREA GREATER THAN 15 M.2/G. COMPRISING AN OXIDE OF A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE METAL FROM GROUP IVB; ALUMINUM; GERMANIUM; TIN; LEAD; ZINC; AND CADMIUM.