A method for hydrogen production utilizing an oxygen transport membrane based reforming system, wherein said system comprises a reforming reactor and a reactively-driven, catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor in close proximity to the reforming reactor, the oxygen transport membrane reactor comprising a plurality of oxygen transport membrane tubes defining an oxidant side and a permeate side and configured to separate oxygen from an oxygen containing stream contacting the oxidant side and permeate separated oxygen to the permeate side through oxygen ion transport, the oxidation catalyst being contained within the tubes on the permeate side of the oxygen transport membrane reactor, and the reforming reactor comprising a plurality of reforming catalyst containing tubes, the method comprising the steps of: separating oxygen from an oxygen containing stream with the catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor to produce an oxygen permeate and an oxygen depleted retentate stream,; feeding a fuel stream to the permeate side of the oxygen transport membrane tubes and reacting same with the oxygen permeate to generate a reaction product stream and heat; transferring the heat via convection to the oxygen depleted retentate stream and via radiation to the catalyst containing reforming reactor configured to produce a synthesis gas stream; reforming a combined feed stream comprising natural gas and steam in said reforming reactor in the presence of the reforming catalyst and radiant heat transferred from the oxygen transport membrane reactor to produce a reformed synthesis gas stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; treating the synthesis gas product stream in a separate high, medium and/or low temperature shift reactor (410, 462) to form a hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas stream (412, 464); and treating the hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas stream in a hydrogen PSA; and recovering a hydrogen product stream and a tail gas stream; wherein a portion of the fuel gas stream required for the oxygen transport membrane reactor is the tail gas stream from the hydrogen PSA, mixed with supplementary hydrocarbon fuel, wherein no portion of the reformed synthesis gas stream leaving the reforming reactor is recycled back to the oxygen transport membrane reactor, and wherein the reforming reactor and the oxygen transport membrane reactor are arranged as sets of closely packed tubes in close proximity to one another. separating oxygen from an oxygen containing stream with the catalyst containing oxygen transport membrane reactor to produce an oxygen permeate and an oxygen depleted retentate stream,; feeding a fuel stream to the permeate side of the oxygen transport membrane tubes and reacting same with the oxygen permeate to generate a reaction product stream and heat; transferring the heat via convection to the oxygen depleted retentate stream and via radiation to the catalyst containing reforming reactor configured to produce a synthesis gas stream; reforming a combined feed stream comprising natural gas and steam in said reforming reactor in the presence of the reforming catalyst and radiant heat transferred from the oxygen transport membrane reactor to produce a reformed synthesis gas stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; treating the synthesis gas product stream in a separate high, medium and/or low temperature shift reactor (410, 462) to form a hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas stream (412, 464); and treating the hydrogen-enriched synthesis gas stream in a hydrogen PSA; and recovering a hydrogen product stream and a tail gas stream; wherein a portion of the fuel gas stream required for the oxygen transport membrane reactor is the tail gas stream from the hydrogen PSA, mixed with supplementary hydrocarbon fuel, wherein no portion of the reformed synthesis gas stream leaving the reforming reactor is recycled back to the oxygen transport membrane reactor, and wherein the reforming reactor and the oxygen transport membrane reactor are arranged as sets of closely packed tubes in close proximity to one another.