Patent ID: 8652222

Claim:
A process for preparing a particulate composition, the process comprising the steps of: (a) providing a first particulate carbonaceous feedstock that is a biomass, a second particulate carbonaceous feedstock that is a non-biomass, and an alkali metal gasification catalyst which, in the presence of steam and under suitable temperature and pressure, exhibits gasification activity whereby a plurality of gases including methane and at least one or more gases selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and other higher hydrocarbons are formed from the particulate composition; (b) mixing the first particulate carbonaceous feedstock, the second particulate carbonaceous feedstock and, the alkali metal gasification catalyst to form a mixture; and (c) optionally thermally treating the mixture under a flow of inert dry gas to form the particulate composition, wherein the gasification catalyst comprises a source of at least one alkali metal and is present in an amount sufficient to provide, in the particulate composition, a ratio of alkali metal atoms of the gasification catalyst to carbon atoms ranging from about 0.01 to about 0.10.