Through a survey of the literature on desulfurization and a critical evaluation of the different heavy oil desulfurization techniques, strategies were assessed. Hydrodesulfurization, extractive desulfurization, oxidative desulfurization, biodesulfurization, desulfurization by alkylation, chlorinolysis, and the use of supercritical water are among the desulfurization techniques and variants thereof that are studied. For the desulfurization of heavy oil, only a few of these approaches are practical and/or effective. The heavy oil’s characteristics, such as its high sulfur content, high viscosity, high boiling point, and the refractory nature of the sulfur compounds, are mostly to blame for this. Autoxidation followed by thermal breakdown of the oxidized heavy oil is the method that has the highest potential to revolutionize the desulfurization of heavy oil. Additionally, there is potential for using autoxidation in concert with hydrodesulfurization, biodesulfurization, and oxidative sulfur reduction.