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A process for regenerating a slurry Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, which needs regeneration, involves 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; reduci

A process for regenerating a slurry Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, which needs regeneration, involves 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; reducing the catalyst powder with a reducing gas to form a reduced catalyst powder; and mixing the reduced catalyst powder with hydrocarbons to form a regenerated, slurry catalyst. The oxidation and reduction steps may be repeated. An oxygen treatment includes using a fixed O 2 level with ramped temperatures, fixed temperatures with increased O 2 levels, or a combination.

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1. A process for regenerating a slurry Fischer-Tropsch catalyst that needs regeneration, the process comprising the steps of:separating the catalyst from the slurry;de-waxing and drying the catalyst sufficiently to produce a free-flowing catalyst powder that is fluidizable;fluidizing the catalyst po

1. A process for regenerating a slurry Fischer-Tropsch catalyst that needs regeneration, the process comprising the steps of:separating the catalyst from the slurry;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 (oxidizing);reducing the catalyst powder with a reducing gas to form a reduced catalyst powder; andmixing the reduced catalyst powder with hydrocarbons to form a regenerated, slurry catalyst. 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the steps of treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen treatment and the step of treating the catalyst powder with a reducing gas comprise the following steps:(A) treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen treatment;(B) treating the catalyst powder with a reduction gas;(C) treating the catalyst powder again with an oxygen treatment; and(D) treating the catalyst powder again with a reduction gas. 3. The process of claim 2 wherein a pattern of (A) oxygen treatment, (B) reductions (C) oxygen treatment, and (D) then reduction is repeated until a desired level of catalyst activity is restored or no further catalyst activity is recovered. 4. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen treatment comprises the steps of setting a temperature and holding the temperature, flowing an oxygen containing gas over the catalyst; and increasing the oxygen content of the oxygen-containing gas. 5. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen treatment comprises the steps of flowing an oxygen-containing gas over the catalyst; increasing the temperature at a rate of 0.1 to 2 F/mm. [0.06 to 1.11 C/mm.] until reaching a hold temperature in the range of 450-900 F [232-482 C]; and holding at the hold temperature for 4-24 hours. 6. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen treatment comprises the steps of flowing an oxygen-containing gas over the catalyst; increasing the temperature to a hold temperature while maintaining CO 2 effluent rates at values corresponding to complete usage of incoming oxygen; and holding at the hold temperature in the range of 450-900 F [232-482 C] for 2-24 hours. 7. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen treatment comprises the steps of setting a temperature between 450-900 F [232-482 C]; flowing an oxygen-containing gas over the catalyst; and increasing the oxygen content of the oxygen-containing gas from about 2 volume percent to 21 volume percent in increments that do not provide for complete combustion of oxygen as determined by measuring the CO 2 in an off gas. 8. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of monitoring the CO 2 level of an off gas from the oxygen treatment and wherein the step of treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen treatment comprises treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen-containing gas in which the oxygen content is systematically increased up to about 21 vol. % or higher and held until the CO 2 off gas is less than 100 ppm. 9. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of monitoring the CO 2 level of an off gas from the oxygen treatment and wherein the step of treating the step of treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen treatment comprises treating the catalyst powder with an oxygen-containing gas in which the oxygen content is held at a level below 5 vol. % until the CO 2 off gas is less than 100 ppm. 10. The process of claim 1 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. 11. The process of claim 10 wherein the mechanical, thermal dryer operates in a temperature range of 450-800 F [232-427 C]. 12. The process of claim 1 wherein the step of de-waxing and drying the catalyst comprises the step of using a solvent was h to de-wax the catalyst and then drying the catalyst. 13. The process of claim 10 wherein the step of drying the catalyst further comprises using a sweeping gas. 14. The process of claim 13 wherein the sweeping gas is nitrogen. 15. The process of claim 13 wherein the sweeping gas is argon. 16. The process of claim 13 wherein the sweeping gas is steam. 17. The process of claim 13 wherein the sweeping gas is a tail gas and methane (CH 4 ). 18. The process of claim 1 wherein the steps of treating the catalyst with an oxygen-containing gas and treating the catalyst with a reducing gas are repeated. 19. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of treating the catalyst immediately after drying the catalyst with oxygen to partially oxidize the catalyst before treating the catalyst with an oxygen-containing gas while fluidized. 20. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of stripping hydrocarbons from the catalyst with hydrogen before or after the drying step. 21. An oxygen treatment method for treating (oxidizing) a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst in need of regeneration with oxygen before reducing the catalyst, the treatment method comprising the steps of:fluidizing the catalyst;flowing an oxygen containing gas over the catalyst; andsetting a temperature above 100 F [38 C]. 22. The process of claim 21 wherein the oxygen-containing gas has a fixed O 2 level and further comprising the step of increasing the temperature. 23. The process of claim 21 wherein the temperature is systematically raised and then held at a temperature greater than 500 F [260 C] and systematically increasing the O 2 level in the oxygen-containing gas. 24. A process for regenerating a slurry Fischer-Tropsch catalyst that needs regeneration, the process comprising the steps of:(A) separating the catalyst from the slurry using a settler,(B) using a mechanical, thermal dryer to de-wax and dry the catalyst sufficiently to produce a free-flowing catalyst powder that us fluidizable;(C) fluidizing the catalyst powder from step (B);(D) oxidizing the catalyst powder;(E) reducing the catalyst powder with a reducing gas to form a reduced catalyst powder;(F) repeating steps (D) and (E) until a desired level of activity is achieved for the catalyst or until no further activity is recovered; and(G) mixing the reduced catalyst powder with hydrocarbons to form a regenerated, slurry catalyst.