NOVELTY - The staged process comprises contacting, in a first stage, water and liquid fuel containing sulfur over a catalyst material to convert the fuel into methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide, and upon which the hydrogen sulfide is captured by the catalyst material, and contacting, in a second stage, the catalyst material with a mixture of air and water to remove the hydrogen sulfide from the catalyst material as sulfur dioxide and water. The catalyst material is a mixture of two or more catalyst phases or is a multifunctional catalyst, which contains all phases.    USE - The staged process is useful for pre-reforming of liquid hydrocarbons sulfur-laden fuels to produce a light hydrocarbon, sulfur-free stream for reforming.    ADVANTAGE - The staged process reduces the formation of coke during the pre-forming process and ensures efficient pre-forming of liquid hydrocarbons sulfur-laden fuels with highest energy density and long lifetime.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The staged process comprises contacting, in a first stage, water and liquid fuel containing sulfur over a catalyst material to convert the fuel into methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide, and upon which the hydrogen sulfide is captured by the catalyst material, and contacting, in a second stage, the catalyst material with a mixture of air and water to remove the hydrogen sulfide from the catalyst material as sulfur dioxide and water. The catalyst material is a mixture of two or more catalyst phases or is a multifunctional catalyst, which contains all phases. One phase of the catalyst material contains a phase active for hydrocarbon reformation, and an additional phase of the catalyst material contains a material for sulfur capture. The reformation catalyst phase consists of a metallic component. The sulfur capture component consists of a metal oxide component. The metal of the metal oxide component is a member of the rare earth components. Two or more reactors filled with the catalyst material are used, and are cycled through with the use of two or more valves such that at any time, one reactor is always performing the first stage of reformation, and another one reactor is always performing the second stage of sulfur removal. A sulfur trap is used on an output of the first and second stage. The sulfur trap consists of a sulfur absorbent solid material or a metal-organic framework absorbent. A sulfur detection sensor or a hydrocarbon detection sensor is used on an output of the first stage to trigger stage switching of the process. The liquid fuel predominately contains molecules with 5 or more carbons. The liquid fuel is a logistic fuel, which comprises 2-6 mass % of sulfur. The water to carbon atom molar ratio used for the first stage is 2-5. The temperature of the first stage is 100-700 degrees C. The pressure of the first stage is 150-300 psi and the second stage is no more than 100 psi. The oxygen or air is also fed with the water and liquid fuel to the first stage at an oxygen atom to carbon atom molar ratio of up to 0.5. The water to air ratio in the second stage is 0-1. The temperature of the first and second stage is 450-650 degrees C. The heat is recovered from the second stage output stream and transferred to an inlet of the first stage. The water to carbon atom molar ratio used for the first stage is 3-4.