TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Composition: The catalyst comprises 0.5-15 wt.% nickel, 0.5-10 wt.% cerium oxide, 0.5-5 wt.% lanthanum oxide, 0.1-2 wt.% platinum, 0.5-3 wt.% zirconium oxide, 0.1-2 wt.% rhodium, and 0.1-2 wt.% rhenium.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The liquid hydrocarbon fuel is a petroleum-based fuel, preferably iso-octane, light naphtha, heavy-naphtha, kerosene, or diesel. Preferred Process: The gas hour space velocity is 35000-50000/hour. The pre-heating temperature is 410-420 degrees C. The heat generated from the exothermic combustion reaction is neutralized and compensated for by the endothermic reaction on the same catalyst bed. The reaction is carried out in the absence of externally supplied heat. The coke formation is avoided. The catalyst can reform feedstocks containing less than 200 ppm sulfur. Over 97% of liquid hydrocarbon fuels feedstock is converted into synthesis gas (hydrogen/carbon monoxide/carbon dioxide/methane). The syngas is purified to produce highly pure hydrogen using a hydrogen purification technology from water gas shift and preferential oxidation, methanation and membrane technologies, or PSA. EXAMPLE - A catalyst comprising 8 wt.% nickel, 5 wt.% cerium oxide, 2.5 wt.% lanthanum oxide, 0.5 wt.% platinum, 2 wt.% zirconium oxide, 0.5 wt.% rhodium, and 1.2 wt.% rhenium was loaded into a reactor tube. The catalyst bed was positioned at the center of the reactor tube, between layers of inert silicon carbide. The feed mixture was heated up to 350 degrees C in the preheating zone. The reactor was heated up to 410 degrees C under nitrogen flow of 20 l/hour. Water was pumped into the pre-heated and vaporized, and steam was sent in at a flow rate corresponding to a steam-to-hydrocarbon feed molar ratio of 2:1. A gas sample was collected and analyzed. The results showed a hydrocarbon conversion of 99%, water conversion of 24.6%, and hydrogen/carbon monoxide+carbon dioxide ratio of 1.64.