Patent ID: 7772292

Claim:
A method for producing synthesis gas for methanol synthesis, said method comprising the steps of: a. obtaining a hydrogen stream without a secondary purification step comprising greater than 10 mol % methane from a hydrocarbon conversion process; b. feeding into a reforming reactor: i) a feed gas comprising methane, which is reduced according to the level of methane in the hydrogen stream, ii) water in a sufficient amount to have less than 1.2 moles water per mole carbon in said feed gas, iii) oxygen in a sufficient amount to have from 0.4 to 0.8 moles oxygen per mole carbon in said feed gas, and iv) a first portion of said hydrogen stream; c. reacting said feed gas, water, oxygen and said hydrogen stream in said reactor at a pressure in the range of from 10-100 bars (1-10 MPa) to form a raw syngas at a temperature greater than 900° C. and comprising less than 3 mol % methane; and d. forming the synthesis gas for methanol synthesis having a stoichiometric number of from 1.9 to 2.3.