Catalytic dewaxing with trivalent rare earth metal ion exchanged ferrierite

A hydrocarbon synthesis and upgrading process comprising:

• (i) contacting a synthesis gas comprising a mixture of H.sub.2 and CO with a Fischer Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst at reaction conditions effective for said H.sub.2 and CO to react to form hydrocarbons, at least a portion of which are solid at standard room temperature conditions of temperature and pressure;
• (ii) hydroisomerizing at least a portion of said hydrocarbons, including at least a portion of said solid hydrocarbons, by reacting said hydrocarbons with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroisomerization catalyst at conditions effective to form a waxy hydroisomerate comprising a mixture of paraffins and isoparaffins, and
• (iii) reacting at least a portion of said hydroisomerate with hydrogen in the presence of a dewaxing catalyst comprising at least one catalytic metal component and ferrierite in which at least a portion of its cation exchange positions are occupied by one or more trivalent rare earth metal cations, at reaction conditions effective to dewax said hydroisomerate.