Recycling light olefins in multistage Fischer Tropsch processes

29 2 29 29 222A process for reducing C-Colefin formation by recycling them to a Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis process and promoting recycled olefins chain growth comprises contacting a gas feed comprising a mixture of Hand CO with a catalyst in a reactor system at conditions effective to produce a hydrocarbon product stream including C-Colefins, separating a C-Colefins-rich stream from the hydrocarbon product stream to form a light olefin recycle stream and recycling the light olefin recycle stream to the reactor system at a point in the reactor system where the H:CO ratio is low relative to the H:CO ratio in the rest of the reactor system. Depending on whether the initial H:CO ratio is greater or less than the usage ratio of the selected catalyst, the recycled olefins can be returned to the system up- or downstream of the reactor system.