1-Butene oligomerization over ZSM-5 zeolite: Part 1 – Effect of reaction conditions

•Systematic study of the conversion of 1-butene into fuels by oligomerization over HZSM-5 catalysts.•Optimum conditions for selectivity for C8+ hydrocarbons (∼86wt.%) was obtained with H-ZSM-5, at 200°C and 0.5bar.•HZSM-5 is a suitable catalyst and allows almost steady-state operation.•Deactivation, with consequent decrease in acidity, improves the performance of the catalyst under some conditions.•Low temperature performance of the catalyst seems to be hindered by the volatility of the products.