Patent ID: 7138001

Claim:
A process for preparing syngas, comprising: partially oxidizing a first hydrocarbon portion with oxygen in a partial oxidation reactor to produce a first reactor effluent; cooling the first reactor effluent to a temperature from 650° to 1000° C., said cooling including direct heat exchange with water introduced into the first reactor effluent as a quench fluid; supplying the cooled first reactor effluent to a reforming exchanger; passing a second hydrocarbon portion with steam through a catalyst zone in the reforming exchanger to form a second reactor effluent, wherein the first and second hydrocarbon portions are supplied in a weight ratio of from 40:60 to 60:40; discharging the second reactor effluent from the catalyst zone to form an admixture with the first reactor effluent; passing the admixture across the catalyst zone in indirect heat exchange therewith to cool the admixture and heat the catalyst zone; and collecting the cooled admixture from the reforming exchanger.