Integrated two step process for conversion of methane to liquid hydrocarbons of gasoline range

An improved integrated two-step process for the conversion of methane to liquid hydrocarbons of gasoline range which comprises

• (i) passing continuously a gaseous mixture comprising methane and oxygen over a basic solid rare earth metal promoted alkaline earth metal oxide catalyst suitable for oxidative coupling of methane to C.sub.2 hydrocarbons in a fixed bed reactor at a pressure in the range of 1-50 atmospheres, a temperature in the range of 500.degree.-1000.degree. C., a CH.sub.4 /O.sub.2 ratio in the feed in the range of 1.5-100, and a gas hourly space velocity in the range of 500-5,000,000 h.sup.-1 and separating the water from the product stream by known methods, and
• (ii) passing continuously the gaseous product stream of step (i) over a solid acid catalyst containing high silica pentasil zeolite having a channel diameter of 5-6 .ANG. in a fixed bed reactor at a pressure in the range of 1-50 atmospheres, a temperature in the range of 200.degree.-700.degree. C. and at a gas hourly space velocity in the range of 100-50,000 h.sup.-1, separating the liquid hydrocarbons and oxides of carbon by known methods and recycling the C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 hydrocarbons and unconverted oxygen to step (i).