an apparatus and method of producing methanol includes reacting a heated hydrocarbon - containing gas and an oxygen - containing gas in a reactor ; to provide a product stream comprising methanol ; and transferring heat from the product stream to the hydrocarbon - containing gas to heat the hydrocarbon containing gas . after removing methanol and co 2 from the product stream , unprocessed hydrocarbons are mixed with the hydrocarbon containing gas fro reprocessing through the reactor .