Patent ID: 7323497

Claim:
A process for the production of hydrocarbons comprising; a) subjecting a mixture of a hydrocarbon feedstock and steam to catalytic steam reforming to form a partially reformed gas, b) subjecting the partially reformed gas to partial combustion with an oxygen-containing gas and bringing the resultant partially combusted gas towards equilibrium over a steam reforming catalyst to form a reformed gas mixture, c) cooling the reformed gas mixture to below the dew point of the steam therein to condense water and separating the condensed water to give a de-watered synthesis gas, d) synthesising hydrocarbons from said de-watered synthesis gas by the Fischer-Tropsch reaction and e) separating the hydrocarbons from co-produced water, wherein >50% by weight of the co-produced water from the Fischer-Tropsch reaction is fed to a saturator wherein the co-produced water is contacted with the hydrocarbon feedstock to provide at least part of the mixture of hydrocarbon feedstock and steam subjected to steam reforming.