LOW PRESSURE DROP REFORMING EXCHANGER

Disclosed are a syngas production process and a reforming exchanger 100 . The process involves passing a first portion of hydrocarbon feed mixed with steam and oxidant through an autothermal catalytic steam reforming zone to form a first reformed gas of reduced hydrocarbon content, passing a second portion of the hydrocarbon feed mixed with steam through an endothermic catalytic steam reforming zone to form a second reformed gas of reduced hydrocarbon content, and mixing the first and second reformed gases and passing the resulting gas mixture through a heat exchange zone for cooling the gas mixture and thereby supplying heat to the endothermic catalytic steam reforming zone. The endothermic catalytic steam reforming zone and the heat exchange zone are respectively disposed tube side and shell side within a shell-and-tube reforming exchanger 100 . The reforming exchanger 100 comprises a plurality of tubes 118 packed with low pressure drop catalyst-bearing monolithic structures 200 wherein an inside diameter of the tubes 118 is less than 4 times a maximum edge dimension of the catalyst structures 200.