Although the catalytic systems containing the NiO MgO solid solution possess excellent catalytic performance in CO2 reforming of CH4 reaction, a serious drawback was that the higher than 10 wt% Ni loadings would increase the burden on the environment and finance. A Ni Mg Al catalyst with 3 wt% Ni loadings derived from a hydrotalcite precursor was prepared in order to study the CO2 reforming of CH4 reaction. For comparative purpose, a NiO MgO catalyst and a Ni/y-Al2O3 catalyst containing NiAl2O4, were also synthesized. Analysis showed that the Ni Mg Al catalysts had high catalytic activity due to the improved reducibility which was caused by the presence of Al3+ ions in the NiO MgO cubic lattice. Moreover, the Ni Mg Al catalyst showed ultra-stability without carbon formation for 320 h period due to the small Ni particles and the suitable Ni-support interaction which effectively prevented the sintering of Ni particles. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.