GAS TURBINE FUEL PREPARATION AND INTRODUCTION METHOD

Method of preparing and introducing fuel into the combustors of a gas turbine in which a hydrocarbon containing feed, oxygen and steam are introduced into a catalytic partial oxidation reactor to produce a product stream. The hydrocarbon containing feed contains no less than about 15 percent by volume on a dry basis of hydrocarbons with at least two carbon atoms and/or at least about 3 percent by volume of olefins. The reactant mixture formed of the hydrocarbon containing feed, oxygen and steam has an oxygen to carbon ratio of between about 0.08 and about 0.25 and a water to carbon ratio of between about 0.05 to about 0.5. The hydrocarbon containing feed is introduced into the reactor alone or with a steam at a temperature no greater than 600° C. and the product stream is produced at a temperature of between about 600° C. and 860° C. and contains less than about 0.5 percent of olefins and less than 10 percent of hydrocarbons with two or more carbon atoms on a dry basis. After cooling the product stream the product stream is introduced into the combustors of the gas turbine to form part or all of the fuel required to support combustion.