Process for producing an oligomerization catalyst having a hydrothermal treatment step

A process for producing a nickel-containing oligomerization catalyst, the process comprising:

• a) producing a mixture comprising
• amorphous aluminium silicate that comprises 1% to 45% by weight of aluminium oxide and 55% to 99% by weight of silicon dioxide,
• optionally, an Al-containing and Si-free binder or an Al-free and Si-containing binder,
• a nickel source that comprises a nickel compound, and
• water,
• wherein a liquid component in the mixture is not more than 1.5 times a total pore volume (TPV) of the aluminium silicate and of the optional binder, the TPV being determined by nitrogen adsorption in accordance with DIN 66134;
• b) subjecting the mixture thus produced to a hydrothermal treatment, the hydrothermal treatment taking place at a temperature in a range from 75° C. to 180° C.;
• c) drying the mixture obtained in b), the drying rate in c) being higher than a drying rate in b);
• and
• d) calcining the mixture dried in c) to produce the oligomerization catalyst, wherein the drying rate in c) is at least twice as high as the drying rate in b).