Process for regenerating a slurry fischer-tropsch catalyst

1. A process for converting light hydrocarbons into heavier hydrocarbons (C 5+ ) that includes regenerating a slurry Fischer-Tropsch catalyst in need of regeneration, the process comprising the steps of:

preparing a synthesis gas using light hydrocarbons;

converting the synthesis gas to Fischer-Tropsch products in a slurry Fischer-Tropsch reactor containing a slurry Fischer-Tropsch catalyst;

removing Fischer-Tropsch products from the slurry Fischer-Tropsch reactor;

regenerating the slurry Fischer-Tropsch catalyst that needs regeneration; and

wherein the step of regenerating the slurry Fischer-Tropsch catalyst comprises the steps of:

removing the catalyst from the slurry Fischer-Tropsch reactor;

de-waxing and drying the catalyst sufficiently to produce a free-flowing catalyst powder that is fluidizable;

fluidizing the catalyst powder;

treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen treatment to remove hydrocarbons from the catalyst powder,

reducing the catalyst powder with a reducing gas,

re-slurring the catalyst powder to form a regenerated slurry catalyst; and

returning the regenerated slurry catalyst to the slurry Fischer-Tropsch reactor.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the catalyst with an oxygen treatment comprises the step of treating the catalyst with an oxygen-containing gas containing less than 3 volume percent oxygen for more than 6 hours at a temperature greater than 500F [260C].

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the catalyst with an oxygen treatment comprises the step of treating the catalyst with an oxygen-containing gas having less than 4 volume percent oxygen at a temperature greater than 450F [232C] until the CO 2 off an off gas drops below 500 parts per million or until greater than 90 weight percent of hydrocarbons (relative to hydrocarbon loading at the start of the oxygen treatment) are moved from the catalyst.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the catalyst with an oxygen treatment comprises the steps of:

monitoring the CO 2 concentration of an off gas from the catalyst;

treating the catalyst with an oxygen-containing gas containing less than 3 percent oxygen; and

terminating the treatment when the CO 2 concentration in the off gas is consistently less than 100 ppm at a temperature greater than or equal to 600F [316C].

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the catalyst with an oxygen treatment comprises the steps of:

(a) monitoring CO 2 concentration of an off gas from the catalyst;

(b) flowing an oxygen-containing gas having less than 2 vol. % oxygen over the catalyst until the CO 2 concentration of the off gas is less than at least 700 ppm;

(c) increasing the percentage oxygen in the oxygen-containing gas until the CO 2 concentration of the off gas is les than a first predetermined level of CO 2 ;

(d) repeating step (c) until the oxygen-containing gas has been raised to at least about 21 vol. % oxygen; and

(e) terminating the flow of oxygen-containing gas when the CO 2 concentration of the off gas is consistently less than 100 ppm.

6. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of removing additional hydrocarbons after the de-waxing and drying step by further heating the catalyst powder with a heated inert gas.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the heated inert gas is heated to between 500F and 1000F [260C and 538C].

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.

9. The process of claim 7 wherein the inert gas is argon.

10. The process of claim 7 wherein the inert gas is supplied at a flow rate between 0.1 and 10 scf/lb [(0.006 and 0.61 scm/kg] slurry.

11. The process of claim 7 wherein the step of de-waxing and drying the catalyst comprises the step of using a mechanical, thermal dryer to de-wax and dry the catalyst sufficiently to produce a free-flowing catalyst powder.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of de-waxing and drying the catalyst comprises the step of using a solvent wash to produce a free-flowing catalyst powder.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein the steps of treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen treatment and reducing the catalyst powder are repeated at least once.