Patent ID: 7485767

Claim:
A process for the production of a synthesis gas blend which is suitable for conversion either to methanol and/or dimethyl ether or to Fischer-Tropsch liquids, which process comprises: a) passing a first gaseous hydrocarbon feedstream, along with steam, to a steam reforming unit operated at a pressure of less than 30 bar and with a steam to carbon molar ratio greater than 1.5, thereby providing as effluent from said steam reforming unit a first syngas effluent stream containing H 2 and carbon oxides; b) passing a second gaseous hydrocarbon feedstream, along with oxygen and optionally steam, to an oxygen-blown reforming unit operated at a pressure of greater than 35 bar and with an O 2 :C molar ratio of from about 0.4 to 0.7 and a steam to carbon molar ratio of less than about 1.5, thereby providing as effluent from said oxygen-blown reforming unit a second syngas effluent stream containing H 2 and carbon oxides; c) compressing said first syngas effluent stream to a pressure substantially equal to that of said second syngas effluent stream; and thereafter d) combining said first and second syngas effluent streams in a ratio suitable to provide a syngas blend effluent having: i) a Stoichiometric Ratio S N ranging from about 2.0 to 2.2; ii) an H 2 /CO molar ratio greater than about 1.9; and iii) a CO 2 content of about 5.5 mol % or less.