A method for converting shale gas to aromatic hydrocarbons includes passing a feedstock comprising ethane gas and methane gas to an aromatization reactor; converting a portion of the methane gas and ethane gas in the feedstock to liquid aromatic hydrocarbons with a zeolite based catalyst at a temperature of 750 C to 900 C; separating unconverted methane gas from liquid aromatic hydrocarbons; separating unconverted methane gas from the unconverted ethane gas; recycling the separated methane gas to the aromatization reactor; recovering aromatic hydrocarbons in a product stream after separation and removal from the aromatization reactor. Less than or equal to 95% of the ethane is converted to aromatic hydrocarbons.