Method for preparing a catalyst comprising a nickel active phase distributed in a crust via impregnation of heptanol

A process for preparing a catalyst comprising an active phase based on nickel and alumina support, said catalyst comprising between 1% and 50% by weight of elemental nickel relative to the total weight of the catalyst, the nickel being distributed both over a crust at the periphery of the support, and at the core of the support, the thickness of said crust being between 2% and 15% of the diameter of the catalyst, the size of the nickel particles in the catalyst, measured in oxide form, being less than 15 nm, which process comprises:

• a) impregnating said support with a volume V1 of a heptanol solution of between 0.2 and 0.8 times the total pore volume TPV of said support in order to obtain an impregnated support;
• b) impregnating the impregnated support obtained at the end of a) with a solution comprising at least one precursor of the nickel active phase in order to obtain a catalyst precursor;
• and
• c) drying the catalyst precursor obtained at the end of b) at a temperature below 250° C.