This study reports ethane oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) using lattice oxygen. Ethane ODH is studied under an oxygen-free atmosphere employing a 10 wt.% VOx, supported on c-Al2O3. TPR and TPO show that the prepared 10 wt.% VOx,, supported on c-alumina catalyst is a stable catalyst over repeated reduction and oxidation cycles. XRD shows the absence of V2O5 bulk surface species and a high dispersion of VOx on the support surface. Experiments are carried out in the CREC Fluidized Bed Riser Simulator at 550-600 degrees C and pressures close to atmospheric conditions. Reactivity tests show that the prepared ODH catalyst displays 6.5-27.6% ethane conversion and 57.6-84.5% ethylene selectivity in the 550-600 degrees C range. Metal-support interaction is assessed using ammonia TPD. This provides the desorption energy for both the bare c-Al2O3 support and for the VOx/c-Al2O3 catalyst. A slightly increased desorption energy is found when using the V-loaded catalyst. This shows low metal-support interactions and as a result, a well dispersed VOx catalyst phase with high availability of lattice oxygen for ODH. These findings are confirmed with XRD, showing no changes with respect to the XRD for the c-Al2O3 alumina support. This proves that there are no other species formed due to the interaction between the VOx surface species and the Al2O3 support. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.