A NiCoMgCeOx (Ni/Co/Mg/Ce: 1:0.2:1.2:1.2)/zirconia-hafnia catalyst with unusually high thermal stability has been investigated for syngas generation via a process that includes the catalytic partial oxidation of methane (CPOM), the oxidative steam reforming of methane (OSRM) and the oxidative CO2 reforming of methane (OCRM). The catalyst calcined at 1400 degrees C (for 4 h) showed excellent activity/selectivity for the CPOM, OSRM and the OCRM reactions; furthermore no catalyst deactivation was observed for a period of 20 h. For the CPOM process, the selectivity for H-2 was > 95% at reaction temperatures > 650 degrees C however temperatures above 800 degrees C were required to achieve > 95% CO selectivity. While the reaction temperature had a considerable influence on the CPOM product H-2/CO ratio, the space velocity (at 850 degrees C) did not affect it to any significant extent. For the OSRM process, the H2O/CH4 ratio and the reaction temperature had a strong effect on the product H-2/CO ratio and the heat of the reaction; depending on the H2O/CH4 ratio and reaction temperature, the OSRM process could be operated in a mildly exothermic, thermoneutral or mildly endothermic mode. The CO2 conversion was very strongly affected by the reaction temperature in the OCRM process; reasonably high CO2 conversion ( > 40%) could only be obtained at high OCRM reaction temperatures ( > 850 degrees C). The exothermicity of the OCRM reaction was found to decrease with increasing reaction temperature. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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