In this study, the potential of supercritical water (SCW) was investigated, to remove sulfur and metals from gasoil, either separately or simultaneously. The experiments were carried out in a stirred batch autoclave at 673 K and 25 MPa, using a standard hydrotreated gasoil spiked with different sulfur-, nickel- and vanadium-containing model compounds. The results show that only non-aromatic sulfur compounds will react in SCW. The observed degree of desulfurisation is marginal. Aromatic sulfur compounds are too stable and will not react. Demetallisation of selected metal complexes was not observed. The metal complexes undergo some rearrangements in SCW, but their basic structure remains intact. Desulfurisation and demetallisation were only observed in the presence of a conventional hydrotreating catalyst. Concluding, SCW alone is not a suitable reaction medium for desulfurisation and/or demetallisation of gasoil. This conclusion is supported by thermodynamical calculations.