In this paper a Ru/Ce0.8Tb0.2O2-x/Al2O3 catalyst has been prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method and it has been exhaustively characterized through N-2 physisorption, H-2 and CO chemisorption, temperature programmed desorption, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques. The catalyst has been tested in the water gas shift reaction and it has been compared with Ru/Al2O3 and Ru/Ce0.8Tb0.2O2-x samples employed as references. This study has revealed that WGS occurs with simultaneous methanation in the ceria-terbia containing systems. Catalytic tests performed in consecutive cycles reveal that the ternary system exhibit higher stability under ageing reaction conditions. These results appear as promising for deep abatement of CO in highly-pure H-2 production from hydrocarbon reforming processes. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.