Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a reducing gas having a high reduction potential by catalytic conversion in two steps of a sulphur-free gas mixture of hydrocarbons having a high content of hydrocarbons with two or more carbon atoms. In the first step an inlet stream of at least a part of the gas mixture together with added steam is passed through an adiabatic reactor containing a steam reforming catalyst at an inlet temperature of 440.degree.-510.degree. C. and an outlet temperature of 400.degree.-500.degree. C. and at a pressure of 1-30 kg/cm.sup.2 g the amount of steam added being calculated for obtaining in the inlet stream an H/C ratio of at least 4.8 and an O/C ratio of between 0.5 and 1. The outlet stream from the first step is combined with the top-gas from a reduction furnace, and the combined stream is then further converted in the second step by steam reforming into a reducing gas.