Process for catalytic non-oxidative conversion of saturated hydrocarbons using a carbon-based catalyst

A process for the non-oxidative conversion of saturated C1+ hydrocarbons into unsaturated C2+ hydrocarbons and hydrogen in the presence of an unsupported carbon-based catalyst having a carbon content of at least 90.0 wt % and a metal concentration which is less than 0.3 wt %;

• with wt % expressed based on the total weight of said carbon-based catalyst,
• wherein the process comprises the steps of:
• a) supplying said carbon-based catalyst to a reaction zone,
• b) directly heating of said carbon-based catalyst contained in said reaction zone by means of induction heating thereby indirectly heating the reaction zone containing said carbon-based catalyst to a reaction temperature of at least 350° C.;
• c) supplying a reaction gas comprising saturated C1+ hydrocarbons to said heated reaction zone comprising said carbon-based catalyst;
• and
• d) subjecting said reaction gas to a non-oxidative conversion in the presence of said carbon-based catalyst in said heated reaction zone thereby converting at least a portion of said saturated C1+ hydrocarbons into unsaturated C2+ hydrocarbons and hydrogen.