Patent ID: 7297655

Claim:
A catalyst comprising nickel in a reduced valence state on a carrier comprising zinc oxide and alumina, wherein the Zn:Ni atomic ratio is at least 12, and the catalyst is prepared by: mixing zinc oxide in the form of a powder and alumina or an alumina precursor in the form of a powder thereby providing a powder mixture; peptising the powder mixture and forming an extrudable dough by adding acid and water to the powder mixture in such amounts that the dough contains 0.8-1.2 moles acid equivalents per kg powder thereby providing an extrudable dough; extruding the extrudable dough to form extrudates; drying and calcining the extrudates; impregnating said calcined extrudates with an aqueous solution of a nickel compound thereby providing an impregnated extrudate; drying, calcining and reducing the impregnated extrudates.