NOVELTY - Production of synthesis gas, comprises feeding hydrocarbon gas through hydrocarbon gas inlet to one partial oxidation zone; feeding oxygen-containing gas through oxidant gas inlets to multitude of partial oxidation zones; and converting hydrocarbon gas and oxygen in the multitude of partial oxidation zones to form a multitude of gas effluents comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide.    USE - For production of synthesis gas for conversion to higher hydrocarbon.    ADVANTAGE - By controlling the oxygen supply, the temperatures, conversion, and product selectivity of the reaction can be in turn controlled and optimized. The potential risk of explosion associated with mixing hydrocarbon and molecular oxygen is minimized with increased feed carbon-to-oxygen molar ratios.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Production of synthesis gas, comprises:    (1) providing a reactor system (10) comprising a multitude of partial oxidation zones connected in series; oxidant gas inlets, each being suitable to deliver an amount of an oxygen (O2)-containing gas to at least one partial oxidation zone; and one hydrocarbon gas inlet located upstream of the multitude of partial oxidation zones, the hydrocarbon gas inlet being suitable to deliver an amount of a hydrocarbon gas (12) to one partial oxidation zone;    (2) feeding a hydrocarbon gas through the hydrocarbon gas inlet to one partial oxidation zone, where the hydrocarbon gas has a hydrocarbon gas inlet temperature of less than 400degreesC;    (3) feeding an O2-containing gas through the oxidant gas inlets to the multitude of partial oxidation zones; and    (4) converting the hydrocarbon gas and O2 in the multitude of partial oxidation zones to form a multitude of gas effluents comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide.    At least one gas effluent gas has a gas temperature which is greater than or equal to550degreesC greater than the hydrocarbon gas inlet temperature. Each gas effluent has a gas temperature less than 1300degreesC. The unconverted hydrocarbon gas from one gas effluent of at least one partial oxidation zone is fed to the partial oxidation zone immediate downstream of the partial oxidation zone. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for a apparatus for the production of synthesis gas, comprising:    (1) a reactor shell;    (2) an upper plenum within the reactor shell;    (3) a lower plenum within the reactor shell;    (4) an oxygen chamber located inside the reactor shell between the upper plenum and the lower plenum;    (5) a multitude of partial oxidation zones enclosed within porous or perforated walls, each partial oxidation zone being surrounded by the oxygen chamber;    (6) oxidant gas inlet on the reactor shell in fluid communication with the oxygen chamber, and suitable to feed an oxygen-containing gas to the oxygen chamber;    (7) hydrocarbon gas inlet on the reactor shell located upstream of the multitude of partial oxidation zones in the reactor upper plenum, and suitable to distribute an amount of a hydrocarbon gas to each of the partial oxidation zones; and    (8) reactor outlet on the reactor shell located downstream of the multitude of partial oxidation zones in the reactor lower plenum, the hydrocarbon gas outlet suitable to pass a product stream (22) which exits the reactor vessel.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure is a schematic representation of a single fixed bed reactor.    Reactor system (10)    Hydrocarbon gas (12)    O2-containing stream (14)    Reactant gas stream (18)    Product stream (22)    Exchanger (24)