NOVELTY - Production of hydrogen involves: reacting at least one hydrocarbon and steam in the presence of a complex metal oxide, and a reforming catalyst, under reaction conditions to form hydrogen and a spent complex metal oxide.    USE - For producing hydrogen from hydrocarbon e.g. 1-20C aliphatic hydrocarbons (such as methane obtained as a component of natural gas) and steam (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The use of a combination of a complex metal oxide rather than the physical mixture of metal oxide, along with stem-hydrocarbon reforming catalyst from methane in natural gas; provides improved autothermal process that results in a thermoneutral process. The method results in first production step process comprising the endothermic reaction of hydrocarbons with steam, which is balanced by the exothermic partial oxidation of the hydrocarbons and the usually exothermic reaction of carbon dioxide with the mixed metal oxide; as compared to the prior art hydrogen steam reforming reactions that require an oxygen supply due to high endothermic nature. Thus, at steady-state conditions, the desirable autothermal process does not require the supply of heat energy to the reactors to sustain the reaction after startup. The autothermal, and possibly slightly exothermic, process provides for a highly efficient generation of hydrogen from hydrocarbons and steam, reduces the high heat transfer surface area and specials alloys that are required in conventional steam-hydrocarbon reforming reactor systems, and thus leads to simpler and less costly reformer reactors. The method can be further carried out at molar ratio of steam to hydrocarbon of 1:1-20:1, which is less than 150% of the theoretical amount.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Production of hydrogen involves: reacting at least one hydrocarbon and steam in the presence of a complex metal oxide of formula (A'xCax1.Mgx2)x3(B'yMny1Fey2)y3On (I), and a reforming catalyst (II), under reaction conditions to form hydrogen and a spent complex metal oxide.    A' = Sr, Ba, a Group 1 element and/or an element of Lanthanide series;    B' = Cu, Ni, Co, Cr and/or V;    x,x1,x2,y,y1,y2 = 0-1;    x3,y3 = 1-10;    x+x1+x2 = x3;    y+y1+y2 = y3;    n = a value such that the complex metal oxide is rendered electrically neutral.