2. THE METHOD OF REMOVING PHENOLS FROM WATER CONTAMINATED THEREWITH WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING SAID WATER WITH CRUDE OIL TO THEREBY TRANSFER A MAJOR PORTION OF THE PHENOLS FROM SAID WATER TO SAID CRUDE OIL, WITHDRAWING TREATED WATER REDUCED IN PHENOL CONTENT, SEPARATELY WITHDRAWING CRUDE OIL CONTAINING PHENOLS, FRACTIONATING SAID CRUDE OIL CONTAINING PHENOLS TO SEPARATE A LIGHT FRACTION COMPRISING COMPONENTS BOILING UP TO ABOUT 300*F., AN INTERMEDIATE PHENOL-CONTAINING FRACTION COMPRISING COMPONENTS BOILING FROM ABOUT 300* TO ABOUT 650*F., AND A HEAVY FRACTION COMPRISING COMPONENTS BOILING ABOVE ABOUT 650*F., SUBJECTING SAID INTERMEDIATE FRACTION TO TREATMENT WITH HYDROGEN AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 500* TO ABOUT 800*F. TO REMOVE PHENOLS FROM SAID INTERMEDIATE FRACTION, AND RECOVERING A HYDROTREATED OIL SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF PHENOLS.