The oxidative dehydrogenation of butane was studied at temperatures between 450 and 550 degrees C using a conventional fixed-bed reactor and inert membrane catalytic reactors with different feed arrangements. When inert membrane reactors were employed, a ceramic membrane was used to distribute oxygen to a fired bed of V-Mg-O catalyst. The membrane reactor was found to be more efficient than a fixed-bed reactor under most of the conditions investigated. In addition, in the membrane reactor the formation of hot spots decreased considerably, leading to a more stable and safer operation.