Regeneration of platinum-germanium zeolite catalyst

A process for the aromatization of hydrocarbons comprising:

• a) contacting a feedstock of one or more alkane(s) containing 2 to 8 carbon atoms per molecule with at least one catalyst containing an aluminum-silicon-germanium zeolite on which platinum has been deposited;
• b) recovering the aromatic product;
• and
• c) regenerating the catalyst by:
• 1) contacting the catalyst first with a gaseous stream containing chlorine or a chlorine-containing compound, water and oxygen at partial pressures of about 0.014 psia to about 0.094 psia, about 0 psia to about 0.75 psia and about 0.14 psia to about 0.94 psia, respectively;
• 2) contacting the catalyst second with a gaseous stream containing chlorine or a chlorine-containing compound, water and oxygen at partial pressures of about 0.014 psia to about 0.094 psia, about 0.015 psia to about 0.75 psia and about 0.2 psia to about 2.24 psia, respectively, wherein the partial pressure of oxygen in step 2) is higher than the partial pressure of oxygen in step 1);
• 3) contacting the catalyst thirdly with a gaseous stream containing chlorine or a chlorine containing compound, water and oxygen at partial pressures of about 0.029 psia to about 0.37 psia, about 0 psia to about 0.19 psia and about 0.2 psia to about 2.24 psia, respectively, wherein the partial pressure of chlorine in step 3) is higher than the partial pressure of chlorine in step 2);
• 4) steaming the catalyst with oxygen and water at partial pressures of about 0.2 psia to about 2.24 psia and about 0.029 psia to about 0.75 psia, respectively;
• and
• 5) reducing the catalyst in hydrogen at a partial pressure of about 0.7 to about 19.7 psia.