Methods for steam reforming with a red mud catalyst support composition, one method including providing a methane feed and a steam feed to react over the red mud catalyst support composition at increased temperature and increased pressure to produce synthesis gas comprising H.sub.2 and CO, the composition comprising red mud material produced from an alumina extraction process from bauxite ore.

Methods for autothermal reforming with a red mud catalyst support composition, one method including providing a methane feed with oxygen and carbon dioxide to react over the red mud catalyst support composition at increased temperature and increased pressure to produce synthesis gas comprising H.sub.2 and CO, the composition comprising red mud material produced from an alumina extraction process from bauxite ore.

Provided is a structure for forming carbon nanofiber, including a base material containing an oxygen ion-conductive oxide, and a metal catalyst that is provided on one surface side of the base material.

An apparatus and method for producing hydrocarbons including aromatic hydrocarbons and lower olefins including propylene from CH.sub.4 and CO.sub.2 through CO and H.sub.2 with high activity and high selectivity. The apparatus is provided with: a synthetic gas production unit to which a gas containing CH.sub.4 and CO.sub.2 is supplied from a first supply unit, and which generates a synthetic gas containing CO and H.sub.2 while heating a first catalyst structure; a production unit to which the synthetic gas is supplied and which generates hydrocarbons including aromatic hydrocarbons having 6-10 carbon atoms and lower olefins including propylene while heating a second catalyst structure; and a detection unit which detects propylene and the aromatic hydrocarbons discharged from the production unit, in which the first catalyst structure includes first supports having a porous structure and a first metal fine particle in the first supports, the first supports have a first channels, the first metal fine particle is present in the first channels, the second catalyst structure includes second supports having a porous structure and a second metal fine particle in the second supports, the second supports have a second channels, and a portion of the second channels have an average inner diameter of 0.95 nm or less.

Disclosed is a lanthanide oxide coated catalyst, and methods for its use, that includes a supported catalyst comprising a support material, a catalytic material, and a lanthanide oxide, wherein the lanthanide oxide is attached to at least a portion of the surface of the supported catalyst.

The present invention is directed to modifications of bitumen and heavy oil upgrading and refining processes to synthesize synthetic crude oil and other valuable synthesized hydrocarbon products in an efficient manner along with the production of commercially valuable co-products from by-products formed by the upgrading process.

Disclosed is a method for production of synthesis gas and ethylene by a combined oxidative coupling and dry reforming of methane process. Heat generated from the oxidative coupling of methane can be used to drive the endothermic dry reforming of methane reaction.

A synthesis gas production apparatus (reformer) to be used for a synthesis gas production step in a GTL (gas-to-liquid) process is prevented from being contaminated by metal components. A method of suppressing metal contamination of a synthesis gas production apparatus operating for a GTL process that includes a synthesis gas production step of producing synthesis gas by causing natural gas and gas containing steam and/or carbon dioxide to react with each other for reforming in a synthesis gas production apparatus in which, at the time of separating and collecting a carbon dioxide contained in the synthesis gas produced in the synthesis gas production step and recycling the separated and collected carbon dioxide as source gas for the reforming reaction in the synthesis gas production step, a nickel concentration in the recycled carbon dioxide is not higher than 0.05 ppmv.

A catalyst for performing carbon dioxide reforming of methane to produce syngas, that includes cobalt, nickel and magnesium oxides disposed a support.

The invention relates to a reactor comprising a plasma source and a catalyst comprising a mesoporous support. The invention also relates to a process comprising feeding methane to said reactor in order to obtain one or more of ethene, hydrogen and carbon as well as downstream products derived from ethene thus obtained. The invention relates to a reactor comprising as reactor parts: a. a housing and in said housing; b. a plasma source; and c. a catalyst, wherein said catalyst comprises as catalyst parts: i) a mesoporous support; ii) a metal selected from the group Pd, Ni, Ag or at least two thereof, wherein the metal is carried by said mesoporous support; wherein at least a part of said plasma source is located in said housing upstream of said catalyst.