Bp Chemicals Limited

The British Petroleum Company, P.l.c.

Mark R Smith

Martin Philip Atkins

Barry Nay

Clive D Telford

Benjamin Patrick Gracey

Russell William Cockman

James Noel Martin Hegarty

This invention relates to a process for purifying a heteropolyacid which comprises: subjecting an aqueous solution comprising (i) the heteropolyacid and (ii) salt impurities to at least one liquid/liquid extraction step with an organic solvent, characterized in that the organic solvent comprises a dihydrocarbyl ether having at least 5 carbon atoms.

Synthesis of heteropolyacids

This invention relats to a continuous process for the hydration of olefins with water in the vapour phase to the corresponding alcohol in the presence of a heteropolyacid salt as catalyst said process including the recycle of un-reacted olefin back to the hydration reaction characterised in that the heteropolyacid salt is a metal salt of silicotungstic acid or phosphotungstic acid which is soluble in a polar solvent below 40.degree. C. wherein the metal in the salt is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal.

Olefin hydration process

A cobalt catalyst for use in the Fischer Tropsch reaction of synthesis gas to form hydrocarbons is activated or regenerated by treatment of a cobalt containing catalyst with a gas containing carbon monoxide, said gas containing less than 30% v hydrogen. The catalyst obtained has increased activity and greater selectivity towards producing C.sub.5 + hydrocarbons.

Catalyst treatment

A cobalt catalyst for use in the Fischer Tropsch reaction of synthesis gas to form hydrocarbons is activated or regenerated by treatment of a cobalt containing catalyst with a gas containing carbon monoxide, said gas containing less than 30% v hydrogen. The catalyst obtained has increased activity and greater selectivity towards producing C.sub.5+ hydrocarbons.

This invention relates to a process for the production of lubricating oils having a viscosity index of at least 120 and a pour point of at least -45.degree. C. by (a) oligomerizing a mixture of C5-C20 1-olefins comprising at least 2.6% w/w of 1-decene and at least 6% w/w of 1-hexene in the presence of a catalyst. The lubricating oil so formed may be hydrogenated in the presence of hydrogen to improve the oxidation stability thereof. The process is particularly suited to olefins feeds produced during a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in which carbon monoxide and hydrogen are passed over a heated catalyst.

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Sunbury-on-Thames, United Kingdom

Mark R Smith