NOVELTY - Thermo-neutral reforming process involves providing a mixture of liquid hydrocarbon fuel, an oxygen-rich gas and steam to an interior zone of a reactor comprising catalyst bed consisting of combined combustion and steam and/or carbon dioxide reforming catalyst containing nickel, lanthanum oxide, cerium oxide, platinum, zirconium oxide, rhodium and rhenium; pre-heating the fuel, oxygen-rich gas and steam to 380-450 degrees C; and bringing the pre-heated mixture into contact with the catalyst bed at a gas hour space velocity of 30000-70000/hour.    USE - As thermo-neutral reforming process for the production of a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas from a liquid hydrocarbon fuel where hydrogen-rich synthesis gas is used as a feed for on-board reformers in vehicles incorporating a high temperature or low temperature fuel cell, used as a feed for hydrogen enrichment in internal combustion engines and employed in stationary power generating facilities applications (claimed), for reforming of light and heavy petroleum-based liquid hydrocarbon fuels, including iso-octane, naphtha, kerosene, and diesel.    ADVANTAGE - The process demonstrates that a very small amount of platinum group metal(s) can enhance the activity of the base metal-supported thermo-neutral reforming catalyst by providing hydrogen-spillover onto the catalyst surface. The hydrogen spillover effect prevents carbon deposition on the catalyst which retards the deactivation of the catalyst. By use of a multi-component catalyst, the catalytic combustion and steam reforming functions are significantly enhanced, and furthermore, coke formation and sulfur poisoning are avoided. The heat produced from catalytic combustion induces the endothermic steam reforming of hydrocarbons on the same catalyst surface leading to ultra-rapid reforming. The process can be successfully applied to the reforming of light and heavy petroleum-based liquid hydrocarbon fuels, including iso-octane, naphtha, kerosene, and diesel with no detectable catalyst deactivation owing to coke formation or sulfidation by the action of distinct catalytic functions of both hydrogen and oxygen spillover effects. In excess of 97% conversion of liquid hydrocarbon fuels is achieved with high gaseous hourly space velocity. The catalyst is capable of complete oxidation of the hydrocarbon feed stock by consuming all the oxygen supplied, and generating a high heat of combustion reaction; is very active for the steam reforming reaction which is endothermic in nature consuming the heat generated by the oxidation reaction and providing true thermo-neutral reforming; it has a very long active life without any detectable deactivation; and it can process liquid hydrocarbons ranging from isooctane to diesel at a very high rate of conversion to syngas.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A thermo-neutral reforming process for the production of a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas from a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, involves: a) providing a mixture of a hydrocarbon fuel, an oxygen (O2)-rich gas and steam to an interior zone of a reactor, where the interior zone includes a catalyst bed consisting of a combined combustion and steam and/or carbon dioxide (CO2) reforming catalyst containing nickel (Ni), lanthanum oxide (La2O3), cerium oxide (Ce2O3), platinum (Pt), zirconium oxide (ZrO2), rhodium (Rh) and rhenium (Re); b) pre-heating the fuel, the oxygen (O2)-rich gas and steam to a temperature of 380-450 degrees C; and c) bringing the pre-heated mixture into contact with the catalyst bed at a gas hour space velocity of 30000-70000/hour, causing an exothermic combustion reaction, raising the reaction temperature to 800-900 degrees C, and also causing an endothermic steam reforming reaction for a period of time sufficient to reform the liquid fuel to yield a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a catalyst comprising Ni, La2O3, Ce2O3, Pt, ZrO2, Rh and Re on a single refractory support, consisting of at least one oxide of aluminum or silicon for use in a thermo-neutral reforming process.