NOVELTY - A catalytic reformer (R1) comprises first vessel comprising air inlet, reactor outer wall, annular space and air exhaust outlet; and second vessel located in annular space and including cool zone comprising fuel inlet, hot zone in fluid communication with cool zone and comprising synthesis gas outlet and reforming catalyst, and reactor inner wall surrounding both zones and including membrane comprising metal oxide that transfer oxygen from the annular space through inner wall and effuses active oxygen into at least one of the cool zone and hot zone when the reformer is operated.    USE - As a fuel reforming reactor for producing synthesis gas from a hydrocarbon fuel (claimed), e.g. a high sulfur-containing diesel fuel, highly sulfur-contaminated liquid fuels; military fuel, JP-8. The synthesis gas is used in e.g. fuel cells.    ADVANTAGE - The reformer is compact, inexpensive to make, capable of stable operation, and capable of using commercial grade diesel fuel as a feedstock and prevents carbon build-up by transport of oxygen through self-cleaning reformer walls. When the reformer is employed for producing synthesis gas from diesel fuel, high oxygen flux through the membrane to the inner reactor wall reacts with and removes any carbon which may temporarily form. The membrane used in the reformer adsorbs and dissociates molecular oxygen into highly active atomic oxygen and allows oxygen anions to diffuse through the membrane, to provide high local concentration of oxygen to deter formation and deposition of carbon on reformer walls. The membrane also have catalytic activity for reforming a hydrocarbon fuel to synthesis gas. The porous catalytic membrane reactor wall is a self-cleaning system, and it effectively suppresses deposition of carbon. The reactor inner wall is preferably fabricated from refractory oxides which enables maximum oxygen transport and maximum carbon oxidation activity, while retaining stability and activity at greater than or equal to 1000degrees C . The porous catalytic membrane reactor walls deliver relatively large quantities of air required for a 5000 W fuel reformer, (e.g. while maintaining a compact reformer size).    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for    (1) an oxygen transport membrane (T1) comprising a structure having inner surface; outer surface; and metal oxide material selected from hexaaluminates, cerates and perovskites, which transports oxygen from outer surface and effuses active oxygen at inner surface, when oxygen containing gas is passed over outer surface; and optionally a carbon suppression catalyst deposited on inner surface, which converts carbon to carbon oxides in the presence of active oxygen; and    (2) a reforming process (M1) for production of synthesis gas, involving providing the reformer (R1); heating cool zone to 300-900degrees C; heating hot zone to 900degrees C; passing an oxygen-containing gas into the air inlet, where active oxygen effuses from the membrane into cool zone and hot zone; and passing hydrocarbon fuel into the fuel inlet, through cool zone into hot zone, where hydrocarbon fuel, in contact with the reforming catalyst, reacts with active oxygen to form synthesis gas.