A series of nickel catalysts supported on Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 were prepared by impregnation (IMP), deposition-precipitation (DP) and urea combustion (UC) methods. Their performances of CO2 methanation were investigated for the production of synthetic natural gas from coal. The catalysts were characterized by BET, H-2-chemisorption, XRD, Raman, XPS, CO2-TPD and H-2-TPR techniques. The results indicated that Ni/Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 catalysts prepared by impregnation method showed the highest activity. It can attain 73% CO2 conversion at 300 degrees C with a reaction rate of 20.5 mmol CO2/(gcat min) and have a CH4 selectivity of 100%. The higher activity of IMP sample is due to its higher nickel surface area, oxygen vacancies, Ce(III) and basic sites than others. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier B.V.