The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for removing oxygen from at least one product stream of a hydrocarbon oxidative dehydrogenation process. More specifically, in some embodiments, the oxidative dehydrogenation process is an ethane oxidative dehydrogenation process for producing ethylene.

Provided herein in is a method of removing phosphorus from a liquid hydrocarbon that includes the steps of (a) contacting the liquid hydrocarbon with an aqueous solution that comprises an oxidizing agent to form a reaction mixture that comprises an aqueous component and a hydrocarbon component, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon comprises at least an alkene.sub.(C4-30), and a phosphine.sub.(C?30); (b) reacting the oxidizing agent with the phosphine.sub.(C?30) to form the corresponding phosphine oxide.sub.(C?30); and (c) separating the aqueous component from the hydrocarbon component, thereby removing the phosphine oxide.sub.(C?30) from the liquid hydrocarbon.