Abstract: A process for removing oxygen from a gas stream and a method of controlling the process are provided herein. The deoxygenation process of the present invention may include the steps of combining a feed stream, such as a natural gas feed stream, with hydrogen and contacting the combined stream with a catalyst composition under conditions sufficient to remove at least a portion of the oxygen from the combined gas. In some cases, the catalyst composition can comprise copper and the conditions of the contacting may be such that at least a portion of the copper remains in a reduced state during deoxygenation. The method of controlling the deoxygenation process described herein includes utilizing measured values of parameters of the deoxygenated stream to control one or more parameters of the feed gas stream introduced into the deoxygenation zone and achieve a desired level of oxygen removal.