NOVELTY - A sour natural gas stream is converted into syngas containing hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide by, reforming a feed stream containing the sour natural gas and steam, by passing the feed stream over a catalyst to capture the sulfur by forming a metal sulfide; and regenerating the metal-based catalyst by contacting the metal sulfide with air.    USE - For converting a sour natural gas stream into syngas containing hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.    ADVANTAGE - The method converts a sour natural gas stream into syngas that is free of hydrogen sulfide.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Conversion of a sour natural gas stream into syngas containing hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, where the syngas is substantially free of hydrogen sulfide, and the sour natural gas containing hydrogen sulfide to methane of at least 0.1 moles of hydrogen sulfide per mole of methane, comprises:    (a) reforming a feed stream containing the sour natural gas and steam, by passing the feed stream over a catalyst to capture the sulfur by forming a metal sulfide; and    (b) regenerating the metal-based catalyst by contacting the metal sulfide formed during the reforming step with air, the switching between the reforming and the regenerating modes being adjusted so that the heat consumed in the reforming step is balanced by the heat liberated in the regeneration step.    The catalyst comprises nickel-based reforming catalyst and noble metal based reforming catalyst and a metal-based catalyst. The metal-based catalyst comprises nickel oxide, ferric oxide, manganese oxide, cupric oxide, cobalt oxide, cadmium oxide and/or zinc oxide; and ferric oxide, manganese oxide, cupric oxide, cobalt oxide, cadmium oxide and/or zinc oxide, supported on an inert carrier catalyst.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows the steps of Autothermal Cyclic Reforming process together with an identification of the process streams entering and leaving the reactor during each step.