Catalytically active surface of small nickel (mm 99 wt%) plates for steam methane reforming was enhanced by successive temperature programmed oxidation reduction (TPO-TPR) pretreatment and combined physical vapor deposition of Pt and Al2O3. The effect of annealing time, temperature, order and number of coatings on the catalytic activity was investigated by means of a pulse technique at the reaction temperature of 760 degrees C. The most active and stable surface phases resulted after the successively deposited layers of Pt, Al2O3, and Pt had been annealed for 12 h onto 2-cycle TPO-TPR pretreated nickel plate at the temperature of 700 degrees C in a circulating atmosphere of N-2. The durability performance of the so-prepared surface phases on a specifically structured plate catalyst element (diameter 43 mm and length 42 mm) was tested in a tubular reactor for some 70 h in temperature range 500-650 degrees C. Deactivation was mainly caused by carbon surface deposition. Copyright (C) 2012, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.