Three catalysts (3:17 Ni/Al co-precipitated, 1 wt.% Ru/Al2O3, 1 wt.% Pt/ZrO2) were investigated for the dry reforming of the CH4 and C3H8 present in a model gas stream similar in composition to that from (steam) biomass gasification (42 mol% H-2, 15.5 mol% CO, 5.1 mol% CH4, 19.0 mol% CO2 and 18.3 mol% C3H8). At low temperatures over each of the catalysts (450-550 degreesC) the CH4 content of the gas stream was increased with a significant decrease in the H-2, CO2 and C3H8 contents. At 800 degreesC, the CO2 content of the gas stream was completely consumed via the dry reforming reaction. Coke deposition due to the cracking of the unreformed hydrocarbons was observed. The resultant gas stream for all the catalysts investigated contained a reduced mol% concentration of hydrocarbons; however, the methane content was unacceptably high for an IGCC process. An increase in the CO2 content of the gas stream to 46.1 mol% prior to introduction to the catalysts at 800 degreesC gave the order of activity of the catalysts as Ni/Al > Ru/Al2O3 > Pt/ZrO2. The resultant gas stream with the Ni/Al catalyst contained 0.6 mol% hydrocarbon (CH4) and a syngas ratio of 1. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.