Synthesis gas production by steam methane reforming

A synthesis gas plant for producing a synthesis gas, said synthesis gas plant comprising:

• a reforming section arranged to receive a feed gas and provide a combined synthesis gas, wherein said reforming section comprises:
• an electrically heated steam methane reforming reactor housing a first catalyst, said electrically heated steam methane reforming reactor being arranged for receiving a first part of said feed gas comprising hydrocarbons and generating a first synthesis gas stream,
• a fired reforming reactor in parallel with said electrically heated steam methane reforming reactor, said fired reforming reactor comprising one or more tubes housing a second catalyst, said fired reforming reactor further comprising one or more burners for providing heat to said one or more tubes, said one or more tubes being arranged for receiving a second part of said feed gas comprising hydrocarbons and outputting a second synthesis gas stream, wherein said reforming section is arranged to output a combined synthesis gas stream comprising said first and/or second synthesis gas streams or part thereof,
• an optional post processing unit downstream the reforming section, where the optional post processing unit is arranged to receive the combined synthesis gas stream and provide a post processed synthesis gas stream,
• a gas separation unit arranged to separate said combined synthesis gas stream or said post processed synthesis gas stream into at least a condensate, a product synthesis gas and an off-gas, and
• connections for recycling at least part of the said off-gas from said gas separation unit to said one or more burners,
• wherein said electrically heated steam methane reforming reactor comprises:
• a pressure shell housing an electrical heating unit arranged to heat said first catalyst, where said first catalyst comprises a catalytically active material operable to catalyzing steam reforming of said first part of said feed gas, wherein said pressure shell has a design pressure of between 5 and 45 bar,
• a heat insulation layer adjacent to at least part of the inside of said pressure shell, and
• at least two conductors electrically connected to said electrical heating unit and to an electrical power supply placed outside said pressure shell,
• wherein said electrical power supply is dimensioned to heat at least part of said first catalyst to a temperature of at least 500° C. by passing an electrical current through said electrical heating unit.