Biggest advantages of POX is are no catalyst required and low sensitivity to sulphur content in fuel. On the other hand it generates difficulties associated with very high processing temperatures (over 1100 C), soot formation handling and low H2/CO ratio. Autothermal reforming associates steam reforming with partial oxidation, therefore being thermally self-sufficient and having higher H2/CO ratio than POX. The ATR reaction is:
In comparison with steam reforming  POX and ATR methods are characterized by a serious drawback of oxygen requirement which production and separation is expensive and cumbersome. Among these three techniques SR technique characterises itself with the most extensive industrial experience,   lowest operating temperature and best  H2/CO ratio what has its impact on the effectiveness of the process. As can be noticed, the described reforming processes produce gases with a significant share of carbon monoxide. For that reason one or more water-gas-shift (WBS) reactors are utilized to further increase the amount of produced hydrogen and increase the reforming effectiveness. The WBS reaction is described by the equation: