Hydrocarbon synthesis process using pressure swing reforming

A synthesis gas and hydrocarbon conversion process comprising:

• (a) introducing a feed stream comprising a hydrocarbon and steam through a first end of a first zone containing bed packing materials and a steam reforming catalyst to produce a product synthesis gas stream at a first pressure having a ratio of H2:CO greater than 2:1;
• (b) passing at least a portion of the product to step (a) to a second zone containing bed packing materials, and transferring the sensible heat from the product to the packing materials;
• (c) removing substantially all of the product from said second zone;
• (d) introducing an oxygen-containing gas into the second end of said second zone;
• (e) contacting said oxygen-containing gas with a fuel and combusting said gas and fuel within said zones at a second pressure lower than the first pressure, thereby re-heating said first zone to reforming temperatures and creating a fluegas which exits through the first end of said first zone;
• (f) separating sufficient hydrogen from the product recovered in step (c) to produce a synthesis gas stream having a H2:CO ratio of about 2:1;
• and
• (g) introducing the synthesis gas of step (f) into a hydrocarbon synthesis reactor for conversion therein to liquid products.