Patent ID: 7915461

Claim:
A method for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids, comprising: providing a natural gas stream; providing a feed stream comprising a portion the natural gas stream; providing a burn stream comprising combustible material, including a portion of the natural gas stream; conveying the feed stream and the burn stream to a reactor, wherein the burn stream is partially combusted with an oxidant, and the feed stream is heated by intimate mixing with the partial combustion products, to a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient time that a product stream comprising reactive products and hydrogen is formed; quenching the product stream; passing at least a portion of the product stream to a catalytic liquefaction reactor; producing the hydrocarbon liquids in the catalytic liquefaction reactor separating at least a portion of the hydrogen from the hydrocarbon liquids; and passing at least a portion of the hydrogen back to the reactor such that the hydrogen comprises a part of the burn stream.