Patent ID: 7365040

Claim:
A process for preparing a modified cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst, which process comprises introducing a soluble modifying component precursor of the formula Mc(OR) x , where Mc is a modifying component selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti, Cu, Zn, Zr, Mn, Ba, Ni, Na, K, Ca, Sn, Cr, Fe, Li, Tl, Sr, Ga, Sb, V, Hf, Th, Ce, Ge, U, Nb, Ta, W and La, R is an alkyl or acyl group, and x is an integer having a value of from 1 to 5, onto and/or into a cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst precursor comprising a porous pre-shaped catalyst support having supported thereon cobalt in an oxidized form, wherein the catalyst support is selected from the group consisting of alumina (Al 2 O 3 ), titania, magnesia, silica-alumina and zinc oxide, to obtain a modified cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst precursor, with a sufficient amount of the modifying component precursor being used such that the modifying component level in the modified catalyst precursor is at least 0.06 modifying component atoms per square nanometer of the catalyst precursor surface area; and reducing the modified cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst precursor, to obtain the modified cobalt-based Fischer-Tropsch synthesis catalyst.