Patent ID: 7288684

Claim:
A process for converting methane to methanol comprising: a) flowing a methane and an oxidant stream to a methane oxidation reactor and contacting the methane and oxidant with a catalyst and a solvent at oxidation conditions to provide an effluent stream comprising methanol or a methanol adduct; b) flowing the effluent stream to a separation zone operated at conditions to provide an overhead gaseous stream comprising methane and carbon dioxide and a bottom stream comprising methanol or a methanol adduct, solvent and byproducts; c) flowing the bottom stream to a second separation zone operated at conditions to provide a purified product stream comprising methanol, and a solvent stream which is recycled to the oxidation reactor; and d) flowing the overhead gaseous stream to a third separation zone operated at conditions to provide a methane stream which is recycled back to the oxidation reactor and a waste stream comprising carbon dioxide.