TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The alkali metal gasification catalyst comprises a potassium compound, a sodium compound or both (preferably potassium compound). The other alkali metal compounds comprise potassium carbonate. The alkali metal hydroxide comprises potassium hydroxide. The particulate composition comprises ash content ( less than or equal to 20 wt.%). The particulate composition has a particle size of 25- 2500 microns. The alkali metal hydroxide is at least 1 wt.% based on the combined weight of the petroleum coke and. The particulate composition has a particle size of 25-2500 microns. Preferred Process: In the process (p1) the stream comprises a predominant amount of methane. A char is formed in step (b), and the char is removed from the gasifying reactor and sent to a catalyst recovery and recycle process. In the process (p1) alkali metal catalyst is recovered and recycled. EXAMPLE - Petroleum coke particulate composition was prepared as follows: Petroleum coke was air-dried in a mechanical-convection oven at 35 degrees C for an extended period of time. Stage-crushing was performed carefully so as not to generate excessive fines and to maximize the amount of material having particle sizes below 850 microns, thus produced petroleum coke had moisture content of 0.22 wt.%, ash content of 0.28 wt.%; carbon (88.81 %) and sulfur (5.89 %). The ash component of the petroleum coke contained silica (6.69 %) and alumina (2.56 %), based on the weight of the ash. Finely ground petroleum coke (with particle size between 300-850 microns) was added to an Erlenmeyer flask, and a soaking solution of potassium hydroxide and potassium carbonate was added to the flask forming a slurry. The slurry density was maintained at 20 wt.% in the flask. The air inside the flask was displaced with nitrogen and the flask was sealed. The flask was then placed on a shaker bath and was stirred for 4 hours at room temperature. The treated coke was dewatered by filtering over a vibratory screen with a mesh size of +325, to yield a wet coke cake loaded with potassium hydroxide and potassium carbonate. Gasifications of the particulate composition were carried out in a high-pressure apparatus that included a quartz reactor. The composition (100 mg) was separately charged into a platinum cell held in the reactor and gasified under pressure of 500 psig; temperature of 700 degrees C; and reaction times of up to 3 hour; in an atmosphere of 66% H2O, 25.4% H2, and 8.6% CO.