The dry (CO2) reforming of methane is a great promising technology, particularly because of its dual advantages of natural gas valorization and mitigating global warming via carbon dioxide sequestration. However, coke management is the most difficult problem in commercialization of the process. We have therefore examined in this paper the various catalytic systems being evaluated for the dry reforming with emphasis on operating parameters, activity, and coke deposition. Other factors such as the catalyst promoter, the reactor system, and the periodical regeneration were also critically reviewed. The benefits of utilizing methane from natural gas and other sources, where carbon dioxide is considered as an impurity component, are emphasized. Structured basic catalysts, with periodic regeneration certainties, are strong candidates for industrial applications. Therefore, efforts to build commercial scales for the benefit of global energy industries were highlighted. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.