NOVELTY - Thermo-neutral reforming process for the production of a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas from a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, comprises: providing a mixture of a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, an oxygen rich gas or air and steam to an interior zone of a reactor; pre-heating the mixture; and contacting the pre-heated mixture with a catalyst bed causing an exothermic combustion reaction raising the reaction temperature to 800-900 degrees C and also causing an endothermic steam reforming reaction for a period of time sufficient to reform the liquid fuel to yield a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas.    USE - The thermo-neutral reforming process is useful for the production of a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas from a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, which is a petroleum-based fuel consisting of paraffins, light naphtha, heavy-naphtha, kerosene and diesel. The hydrogen-rich synthesis gas is useful: as a feed for on-board reformers in vehicles incorporating a high temperature or low temperature fuel cell; as a feed for hydrogen enrichment in internal combustion engines; and in stationary power generating facilities applications. The catalyst is useful in the thermo-neutral reforming process (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The thermo-neutral reforming process produces the hydrogen-rich synthesis gas from a liquid hydrocarbon fuel without the formation of coke and without the need of an external heat supply, hence the process is cost effective. The process is capable of converting 99% of the liquid petroleum-based fuel into synthesis gas (hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and methane).    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Thermo-neutral reforming process for the production of a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas from a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, comprises: providing a mixture of a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, an oxygen rich gas or air and steam to an interior zone of a reactor; pre-heating the mixture to a temperature of 350-450 degrees C; and contacting the pre-heated mixture with a catalyst bed at a gas hour space velocity of 30000-70000 per hour causing an exothermic combustion reaction raising the reaction temperature to 800-900 degrees C and also causing an endothermic steam reforming reaction for a period of time sufficient to reform the liquid fuel to yield a hydrogen-rich synthesis gas. The interior zone includes a catalyst bed consisting of a combined combustion and steam and/or carbon dioxide reforming catalyst containing nickel, lanthanum(III) oxide, cerium(III) oxide, platinum, zirconium dioxide, rhodium and rhenium supported on magnesium aluminate. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) preparing a nickel-cerium(III) oxide-lanthanum(III) oxide platinum-zirconium oxide-rhodium-rhenium catalyst supported on magnesium aluminate for use in a thermo-neutral reforming process, comprising impregnating a magnesium aluminate support with an aqueous solution containing rhodium nitrate and rhenium oxide, followed by drying in an ammonia-rich atmosphere, calcinating and hydrogen reducing to obtain a rhodium-rhenium/magnesium aluminate support, impregnating the rhodium-rhenium/magnesium aluminate support with an aqueous solution of zirconium oxynitrate hydrate and tetraammineplatinum(II) chloride followed by drying in the ammonia-rich atmosphere, calcinating and hydrogen reducing to obtain a platinum-zirconium oxide-rhodium-rhenium/magnesium aluminate support, and impregnating the platinum-zirconium oxide-rhodium-rhenium/magnesium aluminate support with an aqueous solution of lanthanum nitrate hexahydrate, cerium(III) nitrate and nickel nitrate hexahydrate followed by drying in the ammonia-rich atmosphere, calcinating and reducing;    (2) preparing a nickel-cerium(III) oxide-platinum-lanthanum(III) oxide catalyst supported on magnesium aluminate and promoted by potassium for use in a thermo-neutral reforming process, comprising impregnating the magnesium aluminate support with an aqueous solution of potassium hydroxide followed by drying and calcining, and impregnating the potassium hydroxide impregnated support with tetraammineplatinum(II) chloride monohydrate, lanthanum nitrate hexahydrate, cerium nitrate and nickel nitrate hexahydrate followed by drying, calcinating and hydrogen reducing; and    (3) a catalyst comprising 0.5-15 wt.% of nickel, 0.5-10 wt.% of cerium(III) oxide, 0.5-5 wt.% of lanthanum(III) oxide, 0.1-2 wt.% of platinum, 0-1 wt.% of zirconium oxide, 0-2 wt.% of rhodium, 0-2 wt.% of rhenium and optionally 0.5-5 wt.% of potassium oxide supported on a single refractory support of magnesium aluminate for use in a thermo-neutral reforming process.