Production of synthesis gas with coal and natural gas co-gasification is a new process based on coupling of methane steam-reforming and coal gasification. The process concept is discussed in this paper. Experiments are carried out in a laboratory fixed-bed gasifying reactor to investigate the effect of feedstock on composition, ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide, concentrations of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the produced raw synthesis gas. Preliminary experimental results indicate that the effect of steam flow rate on component, ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide and concentrations of hydrogen and carbon monoxide of the raw synthesis gas is slight, while the effect of oxygen flow rate is pronounced. When the ratio of oxygen to methane in feedstock is below 1, the ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide is greater than I and the total concentration of hydrogen and carbon monoxide is above 90 %. Comparison of experimental results with calculated results shows that the composition of raw synthesis gas is near equilibrium. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.