Steam gasification employing a CO2 absorbent was investigated using epoxy resin under high-temperature and -pressure conditions: 873 through 973 K, and 1 through 10 MPa. A newly designed drop tube reactor was introduced in order to achieve a rapid increase in sample temperature to simulate the initial stage of continuous reaction. Hydrogen generation was accelerated effectively with an addition of calcium hydroxide as a carbon dioxide absorbent, with efficiency of calcium utilization becoming higher under the higher pressure condition. Methane generation at the initial reaction step was suppressed by the addition of calcium to the drop tube reactor, while much methane was obtained in an autoclave-type reactor whose rate of temperature increase was small. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.