The catalytic partial oxidation of methane (CPOM) was studied on Ni based catalysts Catalysts were prepared by wet impregnation method and characterized by using AAS BET XRD HRTEM TPR TPO Raman Spectroscopy and TPSR techniques The prepared catalysts showed nearly 95% CH4 conversion and nearly 96% H-2 selectivity under the flow of 157 500 (L kg(-1) h(-1)) with the ratio of CH4/O-2 = 2 by using air as an oxidant at 1 atm and 800 C Support basicity greatly influenced the H-2/CO ratio and carbon deposition It was found that the lowest carbon deposition occurred on Ni impregnated MgO catalyst Considering the results it was found that Ni/MgO catalyst with 10% Ni content would be the best catalyst amongst Ni/Al2O3 Ni/MgO/Al2O3 Ni/MgAl2O4 and Ni/Sorbacid for the CPOM only under more reductive conditions Under optimum conditions Ni/MgO showed poor performance and therefore Ni/Sorbacid would be the ideal catalyst because of its greater carbon resistance than the other catalysts (C) 2010 Professor T Nejat Veziroglu Published by Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved