Hydrogen product method and apparatus

An apparatus for producing a hydrogen containing product comprising:

• an existing hydrogen plant including a steam methane reformer, a steam generation system associated with the steam methane reformer to generate steam and at least one water-gas shift reactor in flow communication with the product gas boiler to produce a shifted stream;
• the steam methane reformer configured to react part of the steam with a first hydrocarbon containing feed gas stream to produce a first synthesis gas stream;
• a catalytic reactor retrofitted to the existing hydrogen plant, the catalytic reactor configured to react a second hydrocarbon containing feed gas stream with oxygen and a further part of the steam to produce a second synthesis gas stream and such that said second synthesis gas stream has a methane slip of at least about 2.0 dry mol percent, a hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio of at least about 4.0 on a molar basis and a temperature of no greater than about 870° C.;
• the at least one water-gas shift reactor in flow communication with both the catalytic reactor and the steam methane reformer such that the second synthesis gas stream combines with the first synthesis gas stream to produce a combined stream fed into the at least one water-gas shift reactor;
• at least one boiler positioned between the catalytic reactor and the water-gas shift reactor such that the combined stream is at a temperature suitable for entry into the at least one water-gas shift reactor;
• and
• a production apparatus in flow communication with the at least one water-gas shift reactor utilizing synthesis gas in the shifted stream to produce the hydrogen containing product;
• whereby, an amount of the synthesis gas provided to the shifted stream available for the production apparatus is increased by virtue of combination of the second synthesis gas stream with the first synthesis gas stream such that production of the hydrogen containing product is increased.