Production of syngas via autothermal reforming of methane (MATR) in a fluidized bed reactor was investigated over a series of combined CeO2-ZrO2/SiO2 supported Ni catalysts. These combined CeO2-ZrO2/SiO2 supports and supported Ni catalysts were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, XRD, NH3-TPD, CO2-TPD and H-2-TPR. It was found that the combined supports integrated the advantages Of SiO2 and CeO2, ZrO2. That is, they have bigger surface area (about 300 m(2)/g) than pure CeO2 and ZrO2, stronger acidity and alkalescence than that of pure SiO2, and enhanced the mobility of H adatoms. Ni species dispersed highly on these combined CeO2-ZrO2/SiO2 supports, and became more reducible. Ni catalysts on the combined supports possess higher CO2 adsorption ability, higher methane activation ability and exhibited higher activity for MATR. H-2/CO ratio in product gas could be controlled successfully in the range of 0.99-2.21 by manipulating the relative concentrations of CO2 and O-2 in feed. (C) 2008 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.