TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The porous oxidic catalyst support is particulate alumina which has an average pore diameter of 8 - 50 nm, a pore volume of 0.1 - 1 mL/g, and an average particulate size of 1 - 500 microns. The cobalt nitrate, Co(NO3)26H2O, is used as an active catalyst component precursor. Co(NO3)26H2O used in initial treatment stage is 1.18xy to 1.82xy kg. Cobalt nitrate is initially used to obtain a cobalt loading of 5 g - 70 g Co/100 g support. Co(NO3)26H2O (1.18x1y1 - 1.82x1y1 kg) is used as an active catalyst in the initial treatment stage of the second impregnation step. Preferred Method: The Co(NO3)26H2O is initially dissolved with water so that the volume of the solution is greater than xyL in the first impregnation step. The Co(NO3)26H2O solution is then heated to 60 - 95 degreesC and is then added with the support at atmospheric pressure to form the slurry. The slurry is continuously mixed. Vacuum is gradually applied to the slurry, in the initial treatment stage, under continuous mixing. The sub-atmospheric pressure or vacuum applied is 20 kPa(a). Increased evacuation is applied in the subsequent treatment stage when LOI of the impregnated alumina support is 1.2 times LOIiw, while ensuring that the support temperature is controlled at 60 - 95 degreesC. The increased evacuation is done under continuous mixing so that more forceful drying of it takes place during the subsequent treatment stage. More forceful uninterrupted vacuum drying takes place during the subsequent treatment stage at more than 60 degreesC but not higher than 95 degreesC and a pressure of less than 20 kPa(a). The vacuum drying during the uninterrupted vacuum drying is maintained until a clearly defined maximum LOI value is reached. The maximum LOI is smaller than or equal to 0.9 times LOIiw. The drying rate of the slurry is controlled, during the subsequent treatment stage, by controlling the sub-atmospheric pressure, controlling or adjusting the degree of mixing, controlling or adjusting the treatment temperature, and/or by introducing hot air into the slurry. The drying rate is controlled during the subsequent treatment stage so that the drying rate is greater than (0.048/h)LOIiw at the point of incipient wetness. The dried impregnated carrier or support, from the subsequent treatment stage, is stored at ambient conditions in a dry environment before its calcination. The storage time is less than ((-8.1/LOIiw)LOIunload+26.2) h. LOIunload is the LOI at which the subsequent treatment stage is terminated. The calcination of the dried impregnated support is effected in a fluidized bed calciner, or in a rotary kiln calciner, at 200 - 300 degreesC. The calcined material is further impregnated, dried, and calcined in a second impregnation step with the same steps and conditions as the first impregnation step, for an increased cobalt loading of alumina support. The Co(NO3)26H2O is initially dissolved with water so that the volume of the solution is greater than x1y1L in the second impregnation step. The Co(NO3)26H2O solution is added with the final inventory of y1kg of the calcined material from the first impregnation step during the second impregnation step.x = BET pore volume of alumina support in mL/g;y = mass of alumina support to be impregnated in kg;x1 = BET pore volume of calcined material from first impregnation step in mL/g;y1 = mass of calcined material from first impregnation step to be impregnated in second impregnation step in kgthe amount of Co(NO3)26H2O used in the second impregnation step is adjusted during the maximum amount of Co(NH3)26H2O, determined by the formula 1.82x1y1, results in a desired cobalt loading of the catalyst precursor being exceeded. EXAMPLE - A solution of Co(NO3)26H2O (17.4 kg) (NH3)4Pt(NO3)2 (6 g), and distilled water (11 kg) was mixed with gamma alumina support (20 kg). The slurry was added to a conical vacuum drier and was continuously mixed. The temperature of the slurry was increased to 60 degreesC. A vacuum of 20 kPa(a) was applied. The temperature was increased slowly until 95 degreesC for 3 hours. The calculated LOIiw was 35%. All cobalt decomposed without forming cobalt aluminate, and resulted in CoO4/Al2O3. The LOI after 3 hours was 42.1%. The drying was performed more aggressively during subsequent treatment and the pressure was decreased to 7 kPa(a). Subsequent treatment was terminated after reaching an LOI of 25.7%. The catalyst was calcined at 250 degreesC. A second impregnation step was performed to obtain a catalyst with a cobalt loading of 30 g Co/100 g Al2O3.