Catalysts and methods for natural gas processes

A method for performing oxidative coupling of methane (OCM), the method comprising flowing a gas comprising methane from a front end to a back end of a catalyst bed that comprises a formed catalytic material comprising an OCM active catalyst supported or impregnated on a support, the catalyst bed having a total length L and a total OCM active catalyst surface area, wherein greater than 50% of the total OCM active catalyst surface area resides in a portion of the catalyst bed ranging from the front end to a distance equal to 50% of L, and wherein the formed catalytic material comprises a non-tessellating shape having a plurality of penetrating holes extending between opposing surfaces with at least one of the surfaces being a convex surface and a void fraction of greater than 0.3.