Patent ID: 7592289

Claim:
A process for producing a supported Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, which process comprises the steps of: (a) treating, in a first activation stage, a particulate pre-reduction cobalt supported Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst precursor, which comprises a catalyst support impregnated with cobalt and containing reducible labilized cobalt oxide which is in a calcined state and which has a formula-unit in which each mole of cobalt atoms is associated with more than 4/3 moles of oxygen atoms and displays a reducible cobalt oxide specific surface area at least equal to that of Co 3 O 4 spinel, with a pure hydrogen reducing gas, at a first specific feed gas space velocity, SV1, and at a first heating rate, HR1, to obtain a partially reduced catalyst precursor; and (b) thereafter treating the partially reduced catalyst precursor, in a second activation stage, with a pure hydrogen reducing gas, at a second specific feed gas space velocity, SV2, and at a second heating rate, HR2, to obtain an activated supported Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, wherein SV2≦SV1 and HR2≧HR1, provided that when SV2=SV1, HR2≠HR1 and when HR2=HR1, SV2≠SV1.