Patent ID: 6946493

Claim:
A process for producing hydrocarbons, comprising: (a) producing a synthesis gas stream in a syngas production process where the inlet materials to the syngas production process are substantially free of carbon dioxide and include molecular oxygen, and wherein the synthesis gas comprises primarily hydrogen and carbon monoxide; (b) forming a reactant-stream for a hydrocarbon synthesis process comprising at least a portion of the synthesis gas from step (a) wherein the ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in the reactant-stream is less than that preferred for synthesis to hydrocarbons such that hydrogen is the lean component; (c) producing a hydrogen-rich stream by converting a feedstream comprising hydrocarbon gas and water in a steam reformer, wherein the feedstream is substantially free of molecular oxygen; (d) adding an amount of said hydrogen-rich stream to the reactant-stream to form an adjusted reactant-stream that has a hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio more desirable for hydrocarbon synthesis; and (e) catalytically converting the adjusted reactant-stream from step (d) in a synthesis reaction to produce hydrocarbons.