Substoichiometric combustion of low heating value gases

A method for the recovery of energy from a gas stream having an average heating value in the range of about 15 to about 200 Btu/scf and having a combustible component comprising from about 0.5 to about 80 mol percent methane, from about 10 to about 75 mol percent carbon monoxide, from about 0 to about 50 mol percent hydrogen and from about 0 to about 50 mol percent aliphatic hydrocarbons having from two to about six carbon atoms, which comprises the steps passing said gas stream admixed with air for combustion in contact with an oxidation catalyst in one or more combustion zones, at an overall average air equivalence ratio of between about 0.2 and about 0.95 and at a temperature high enough to initiate and maintain combustion of said gas stream, utilizing the heat energy produced in said gas stream by said combustion and discharging the incompletely combusted gas stream into the atmosphere.