Mesoporous nickel-alumina xerogel (XNiAl) catalysts with various nickel contents were prepared by a single-step sol-gel method for use in hydrogen production by steam reforming of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The effect of nickel content on the catalytic performance of XNiAl catalysts was investigated. Nickel species were finely dispersed in the XNiAl catalysts through the formation of Ni-O-Al composite structure. The XNiAl catalysts served as efficient catalysts in the hydrogen production by steam reforming of LNG. Both LNG conversion and H-2 composition in dry gas showed volcano-shaped curves with respect to nickel content. Thus, optimal nickel content was required for maximum catalytic performance. The performance of XNiAl catalysts in the steam reforming of LNG increased with increasing reducibility of the catalyst. Among the catalysts examined, the 30NiAl (30 wt% Ni) catalyst with the highest reducibility showed the best catalytic performance. The highest surface area and the largest pore volume of the 30NiAl (30 wt% Ni) catalyst were also partly responsible for its superior catalytic performance. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.