FIELD: organic chemistry.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a process for oxidative condensation of methane to produce hydrocarbon compounds containing at least two carbon atoms (C2+ compounds). Method includes: (a) directing a feed stream comprising methane from a hydrocarbon process into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor, at an inlet temperature in the range of 400°C to 600°C, wherein the OCM reactor operates under substantially adiabatic conditions and is configured to perform one or more OCM reactions to produce, from said methane containing C2+ compounds, an output stream from the reactor, and said hydrocarbon process is a non-OCM process where, during one or more OCM reactions in the OCM reactor, there is a positive temperature profile along the OCM reactor, wherein said positive temperature profile includes a first feed stream temperature at the inlet to the reactor and a second output stream temperature from the reactor, where the second temperature is higher than the first temperature; (b) performing one or more OCM reactions in the OCM reactor using said methane to produce an output stream comprising one or more C2+ compounds; (c) separating the output stream from the reactor into at least a first stream and a second stream, wherein the first stream has a lower C2+ concentration than said second stream, and wherein said second stream has a higher C2+ concentration than said output stream; and (d) directing said second stream into said hydrocarbon process. Disclosed invention can be integrated into various processes.
EFFECT: invention also relates to versions of a natural gas processing system.
46 cl, 20 dwg
