Process for converting methane to higher hydrocarbon products

A method of synthesizing hydrocarbons from a methane source which includes the steps of separating a mixture of lower alkanes to form a first fraction containing predominately methane and at least one second fraction containing predominately C2+ alkanes; dehydrogenating the second C2+ fraction to form an effluent comprising C2+ olefins; contacting the methane fraction with an oxide of a metal which oxide when contacted with methane at between about 500<o> and 1000<o>C. is reduced and produces higher hydrocarbon products and water; and oligomerizing the C2+ olefin fraction and the methane contacting effluent to produce higher hydrocarbon products. Also disclosed is a method of synthesizing hydrocarbons from a methane source which includes the steps of contacting a methane with a reducible metal oxide, recovering ethylene from the effluent of the contacting and oligomerizing the ethylene to produce higher hydrocarbon products.