Patent ID: 7449167

Claim:
A process for adiabatically prereforming a feedstock, said process comprising: providing an adiabatic reactor; providing a catalyst comprising 1 to 20 wt. % nickel and 0.4 to 5 wt. % potassium, wherein the catalyst has an overall catalyst porosity of 25 to 50%, wherein 20 to 80% of the overall catalyst porosity is contributed by pores having pore diameters of at least 500 Å; providing the feedstock comprising natural gas and steam, wherein the natural gas contains an initial concentration of higher hydrocarbons, and a ratio of steam to natural gas in the feedstock is from 1.5:1 to 5:1; preheating the feedstock to a temperature of 300 to 700° C. to provide a heated feedstock; providing the heated feedstock to the adiabatic reactor; and producing a product comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, unreacted methane, and steam, wherein said product contains a reduced concentration of higher hydrocarbons less than the initial concentration of higher hydrocarbons.