Petrochemical Processes and Coal Gasification

The industrially most important and currently cheapest hydrogen production process is the catalytic steam reforming process in which steam is reacted with natural gas (methane) or light crude oil fractions (propane, butane, naphtha with b.p. s 200°C). The hydrogen produced comes partly from the steam utilized and partly from the hydrocarbons, in the case of methane 1/3 from water and 2/3 from the methane  

About 80% of the hydrogen used is produced petro-chemically, which includes the thermal or catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons e.g. in refineries. 

In the USA over 90% of the hydrogen is currently produced from natural gas using this very economic process. 

In addition to steam-reforming of low boiling point hydrocarbons, the partial oxidation of heavy fuel oil and 

This is a self-sustaining noncatalytic thermal reaction. 

---