NOVELTY - Converting petroleum coke to methane involves combining the coke and catalyst having steam gasification activity in aqueous medium to form feed slurry; introducing the slurry and superheated steam into slurry drier to form net steam and substantially dry solid particles of the coke impregnated with catalyst; reacting the particles with net steam in gasification reactor to form raw product gas of unreacted steam, methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and carbon monoxide; recovering methane and controlling catalyst concentration in the medium based on amount of ash in the coke.    USE - For converting petroleum coke to methane stream (claimed) useful for shipment in pipeline network, or in tanker trucks, that are readily distributed at terminals.    ADVANTAGE - The process provide an efficient catalyzed gasification process for converting petroleum coke to methane, without the need for a complicated system for catalyst recovery; and provides integrated product purification and catalyst recycle and employs the use of spent solids to displace ammonia from sour water, minimizing the waste treatment required. The process is an efficient process that allows for nearly 100% carbon conversion to produce pipeline quality methane.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Converting petroleum coke to methane involves either:    (1) process A: i) combining petroleum coke and a catalyst having steam gasification activity in an aqueous medium to form a feed slurry; ii) introducing the feed slurry and superheated steam into a slurry drier to produce net steam and substantially dry solid particles of petroleum coke impregnated with catalyst; iii) reacting the dry solid particles with the net steam in a gasification reactor to form a raw product gas comprised of unreacted steam, methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and carbon monoxide; iv) recovering methane from the raw product gas; and v) controlling concentration of catalyst in the aqueous medium based on the amount of ash in the petroleum coke;    (2) process B: steps (i) - (iii); ia) withdrawing a solid purge from the reactor, where the purge comprises coke material and having catalyst incorporated with it; ib) cooling the raw product stream to condense unreacted steam to form sour water and a stream of cooled raw product gas; step (iv) contacting the solid purge with the sour water to dissolve the incorporated catalyst to form a dilute aqueous catalyst solution; and returning the dilute aqueous catalyst solution to the feed slurry; or    (3) process C: introducing dry petroleum coke, catalyst having steam gasification activity, and superheated steam to a gasification reactor; reacting the coke, catalyst, and steam to form a raw product gas comprised of unreacted steam, methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide; steps (ia) and (ib); contacting the solid purge with the sour water in a slurry vessel; recovering ammonia vapor from the slurry vessel; and recovering methane from the raw product gas.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for gasifying (P2) petroleum coke involving crushing petroleum coke to produce petroleum coke particles having a mesh size larger than 325 mesh on the U.S. Standard Sieve Scale and a stream of petroleum coke fines; combining the petroleum coke particles and at least part of the petroleum coke fines with a catalyst having steam gasification activity in an aqueous medium to form a feed slurry; introducing the feed slurry and superheated steam into a slurry drier to produce net steam and substantially dry solid particles of petroleum coke impregnated with catalyst; and reacting the dry solid particles and the net steam in a gasification reactor.