This paper describes the system design and methodology for high temperature gas sampling during pressurized black liquor gasification. The motivation for developing a system that can withstand the harsh conditions in the reactor part of the gasifier (30 bar, 1000 degrees C, reducing conditions and corrosive environment) comes from an ambition to better understand the various stages in the conversion of the fuel (black liquor) and provide spatially resolved data of the gas composition inside the gasification reactor. Important components in the high temperature sampling system which are all described in detail in the paper, are the syngas sampling line, nitrogen purging system, water cooling line and an aerodynamic quench probe with an anti-clogging shield. Several measurement campaigns have been conducted in the gasifier where the concentration of CO(2), CO, H(2), CH(4), H(2)S, and COS close to the outlet of the hot reactor have been measured with the high temperature gas sampling system. The results showed that the repeatability of the measured gas composition was excellent and that significant effects on the gas composition from different operating parameters of the gasifier could be found. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.