This paper reports the development of a catalytic gasification process to gasify low rank coals to produce FT-suitable synthesis gas in a single direct step using K2CO3 as a catalyst and a mixture of steam and CO2 as a gasifying agent. A small laboratory scale continuous catalytic gasification unit was developed and experiments were carried out at 700 degrees C. Effect of CO2 addition on the synthesis gas composition was investigated. Synthesis gas with H-2/CO = 1, 2 and 3 was produced by changing the steam/CO2 ratio of the gasifying agent. Calculated gas compositions were found to be in good agreement with the experimental gas compositions suggesting that the water-gas shift reaction was in thermodynamic equilibrium. K2CO3 was also very effective for tar cracking. The results showed that the synthesis gas suitable for the FT synthesis process can be produced in a single step at 700 degrees C by steam/CO2 gasification process. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.