first stage gasifier vessel 210 enters the separate vessel 212 above the char ash oxidation zone 214 char ash 220 is partially oxidized in the char ash oxidation zone 214 and then contacts the incoming char ash and tar laden product gas 234 both travel up the separate vessel 212 to the exit 228 to the cyclone 222 where the char ash laden tar free product gas 238 exits and the separated char ash 220 is returned through the standpipe 218 to the char ash oxidation zone 214 while char ash and tar laden product gas 234 and partially oxidized char ash 220 are present in the tar conversion zone 216 tar is converted to low molecular weight product gas products by catalytic action of the char ash 220 the conditions are such that the tar conversion reactions are selected over the gas phase oxidation of co or h2 thereby resulting in a higher yield of tar free product gas 238 a second embodiment shown in fig3 includes the first stage gasifier vessel 310 the separate vessel 312 the char ash oxidation zone 314 the tar conversion zone 316 having exit 328 connected to the cyclone 322 in turn fluidly connecting to standpipe 318 here said standpipe 318 is split to comprise an upper leg 330 and a lower leg 332 the upper leg 330 operates in streaming flow as does the remainder of the standpipe 318 above the upper leg 330 but the lower leg 332 operates in a stick slip or packed bed flow regime the effect of the split standpipe 318 is to reduce.