Hydrogasification process. [24 claims]

Subdivided carbonaceous feed solids containing volatilizable hydrocarbons are hydrogasified by heating the solids to at least minimum hydrogasification temperature while in dilute phase suspension in a gas containing molecular hydrogen and in contact with subdivided hot solids having a temperature greater than minimum hydrogasification temperature. The feed and hot solids are passed with the hydrogen-containing gas through a transfer line hydrogasification zone having a length which, for the velocity of the solids passage therethrough, limits the residence of the solids therein to the time necessary for devolatilization of the carbonaceous feed solids and for conversion of a predetermined minor proportion of the carbon of the feed solids to methane. Suitably from about one to about 50 mole percent of the carbon in the carbonaceous feed solids is converted to methane. Preferably the hydrogen-containing gas is a synthesis gas produced in a fluidized bed steam gasification reaction zone into which carbonaceous solids from the transfer line hydrogasification zone are charged after the separation therefrom of product gases containing methane.