TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The reaction of step (b) has a syngas demand and a heat demand, where the syngas demand and the heat are substantially satisfied by the reaction of step (c). The reaction of step (b) has a steam demand, where the steam demand is substantially satisfied by steam in the superheated steam stream, the oxygen-rich gas stream and the fines stream fed into the lower portion of the fluidized bed, and steam generated from the carbonaceous feedstock. The superheated steam stream, the oxygen-rich gas stream, the carbonaceous feedstock and the hydromethanation catalyst are introduced into the hydromethanation reactor at a temperature below the target operating temperature of the reaction of step (b), where the target operating temperature is at least 1000-1500 degrees F. The superheated steam stream is fed to the hydromethanation reactor at a temperature of 500-950 degrees F. The superheated steam stream and the oxygen-rich stream are combined for feeding into the lower section of the fluidized bed of the hydromethanation reactor, where the temperature of the combined stream is 500-900 degrees F. The methane-enriched raw product stream is introduced into a first heat exchanger unit to recover heat energy and generate a cooled methane-enriched raw product stream. The heat energy recovered in the first heat exchanger unit is used to generate a first process steam stream, and superheat the first process steam stream for use as all or a part of the superheated steam stream for introduction into the hydromethanation reactor. In the process, at least a portion of the carbon monoxide in the cooled methane-enriched raw product stream is steam shifted to generate heat energy and a hydrogen-enriched raw product stream, where: the hydrogen-enriched raw product stream is substantially dehydrated to generate a dehydrated hydrogen-enriched raw product stream; a substantial portion of the carbon dioxide and a substantial portion of the hydrogen sulfide are removed from the dehydrated hydrogen-enriched raw product stream to produce a sweetened gas stream comprising a substantial portion of the hydrogen, carbon monoxide (if present in the dehydrated hydrogen-enriched raw product stream) and methane from the dehydrated hydrogen-enriched raw product stream; and carbon monoxide and hydrogen present in the sweetened gas stream are reacted in a catalytic methanator in the presence of a methanation catalyst to produce heat energy and a methane-enriched sweetened gas stream. In the process: heat energy is recovered from the steam shifting, where at least a portion of the recovered heat energy is utilized to preheat boiler feed water for use in generating process steam; methane-enriched sweetened gas stream is recovered as a methane product stream; and heat energy from the catalytic methanation is recovered, where at least a portion of the recovered heat energy is utilized to generate and superheat a second process steam stream. The methane product stream is a pipeline-quality natural gas. Preferred Components: The carbonaceous feedstock as supplied to the hydromethanation reactor comprises an elevated moisture content of 12 wt.% or greater, preferably 20 wt.% or less. The methane-enriched raw product stream comprises at least 15 mole% of methane (based on the moles of methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the methane-enriched raw product stream), and at least 50 mole% of methane plus carbon dioxide (based on the moles of methane, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the methane-enriched raw product stream). The superheated steam stream substantially comprises steam from the first process steam stream and the second process steam stream. The process is steam neutral or steam positive, and there is no fuel-fired superheater used to superheat the steam fed to the hydromethanation reactor during steady-state operation of the process. EXAMPLE - None given.