Studies on the catalytic and non-catalytic oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (ODE) to ethylene have been carried out between 600 and 800 degreesC in the presence of 30% of steam in the feed and in its absence at a contact time of 0.2 g s ml(-1) and at C2H6/O-2 ratio ranging from 2 to 8. For the catalytic experiments Sr1.0La1.0Nd1.0Ox was used as a catalyst. For a low dead reactor volume, homogeneous gas-phase reactions were not significant up to 700 degreesC as compared to the catalytic ones. Above 700 degreesC the non-catalytic ODE reaction occurred to a large extent resulting in ethylene yields of 46% (S = 66%) and 53% (S = 65%) at 750 and 800 degreesC, respectively. In the presence of a Sr1.0La1.0Nd1.0Ox catalyst the highest ethylene yield amounted to 46% (S = 71%) at an inlet temperature of 700 degreesC. For the catalytic ODE reaction, ignition of the reaction mixture which resulted in an increased temperature in the catalyst zone as compared to the inlet temperature could not be excluded even at a low space velocity. The addition of steam to the feed gas affected the catalytic as well as the non-catalytic ODE reaction slightly.