Partial oxidation of methane and dry methane reforming to synthesis gas in the presence of catalysts based on hydrotalcite-like hydroxo salts [AlMg2Ni (x) Co (y) (OH)(6.08)][(NO3) (n) H2O], where x = 0, 0.02, 0.04 and y = 0, 0.02, 0.04 with a total Ni and/or Co content of no more than 2 wt % have been first studied. It has been shown that the Ni-containing catalysts provide a synthesis gas yield of 90 and 97% in the case of partial oxidation and dry reforming of methane, respectively; in the presence of these catalysts, a trace amount of carbon nanotubes is formed; the catalyst sample containing both nickel and cobalt does not lead to the formation of any carbon nanotubes during dry reforming of methane.