In this paper a novel reverse flow catalytic membrane reactor (RFCMR) is proposed for the partial oxidation of CH
4 to syngas. The feasibility of the RFCMR concept has been investigated for industrial conditions on basis of a simulation study employing a reactor model, which includes a detailed description of the prevailing heat and mass transfer processes and chemical kinetics of the rele
vant reactions. It is shown that one of the major cost drivers of a conventional gas-to-liquid process, i.e., the cost associated with the production of pure O
2 via cryogenic distillation of air, can be decreased by 25%. Furthermore, a possibly explosive premixed feed is avoided, recuperative heat exchange is fully integrated and very high syngas selectivities are obtained
(>95%).