Efficient oxidative coupling of methane processes and systems

A method for generating at least one product stream comprising compounds with two or more carbon atoms (C2+ compounds), comprising:

• (a) selecting a plurality of operating conditions to perform a process comprising (i) conducting at least one OCM reaction to generate said C2+ compounds and one or more alkanes, (ii) generating one or more alkenes, including ethylene (C2H4), from at least a subset of said one or more alkanes, and (iii) generating said at least one product stream comprising said C2+ compounds and said one or more alkenes, wherein said plurality of operating conditions is selected such that said process generates said at least one product stream at a carbon efficiency of at least about 0.50;
• (b) conducting said at least one OCM reaction to generate said C2+ compounds and said one or more alkanes, wherein said C2+ compounds comprise ethylene (C2H4) and said at least one OCM reaction liberates heat, and wherein said at least one OCM reaction is performed using at least a subset of said plurality of operating conditions selected in (a);
• (c) generating said one or more alkenes, including said C2H4, from at least a subset of said one or more alkanes using at least a portion of said heat liberated in said at least one OCM reaction, to increase a concentration of said C2H4, thereby providing an effluent stream comprising said C2+ compounds and said one or more alkenes, wherein said one or more alkenes are generated using at least a subset of said plurality of operating conditions selected in (a);
• and
• (d) generating said at least one product stream comprising said C2+ compounds and said one or more alkenes, wherein said at least one product stream is generated using at least a subset of said plurality of operating conditions selected in (a).