Integration of a hot oxygen burner with an auto thermal reformer

A method for generating syngas in a thermal reactor, comprising:

• introducing a first stream of fuel and oxygen in a hot oxygen burner to combust said fuel and generate a hot oxygen jet having a burner stoichiometric ratio (SR) value between 3 and 6 wherein the hot oxygen burner is integrated with the auto thermal reactor;
• introducing a first hydrocarbon stream within a non-catalytic zone of the auto thermal reactor, wherein the first hydrocarbon stream is substantially entrained in the hot oxygen jet;
• reacting the first hydrocarbon stream with the hot oxygen jet, performing partial reforming of the hydrocarbon in the non-catalytic zone of the auto thermal reactor, and completing the reforming in a catalytic reaction zone of the auto thermal reactor, thereby forming a syngas which exits the reactor at a temperature below 2000° F. and with minimal soot formation.