Pertamina leverages 50-year relationship with UOP for renewable diesel production in Indonesia

Honeywell announced Sept. 28 that Indonesia's state oil company PT Pertamina (Persero) will use Honeywell UOP technologies to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel and green liquefied petroleum gas at its Plaju refinery in Palembang, South Sumatra, and renewable diesel fuel at its Cilacap refinery in Central Java.

Pertamina's Plaju refinery site will utilize the trademarked UOP Renewable Jet Fuel Process to convert 20,000 barrels per day (bpd) of vegetable oils and fats into a suite of advanced biofuels, while its refinery at Cilacap will be revamped with Ecofining technology jointly developed by UOP and Italy's Eni S.p.A. to process 6,000 bpd of vegetable oils and fats.

UOP will provide technology licenses, basic engineering, specialty equipment, catalysts and training for the two projects.

"As one of the world's top producers of biofuels, Indonesia is ramping up its investment in advanced biorefineries capable of producing fully fungible renewable fuel," said Jim Andersen, business development director of UOP's renewable fuels business. "Pertamina is acting on an opportunity to meet the growing demand for energy security of Indonesia by using renewable fuels and, as a longstanding customer, chose to work with UOP to build a greenfield biorefinery at Plaju and revamp its Cilacap refinery. These refineries will enable Pertamina to meet the Indonesian government's goals for renewable fuel production using domestic biobased feedstocks."

Indonesia, a nation of 250 million people, imports 30 percent more refined petroleum products than its domestic production capacity and its national energy policy requires more than 5 percent of all energy must come from biofuel by 2025.

"Pertamina, as the biggest energy company in Indonesia, is always aggressively looking forward for new and renewable energy solutions,” said Budi Santoso Syarif, deputy CEO of PT Kilang Pertamina International, the refinery and petrochemical business group of Pertamina. "The development of our biorefinery in Plaju and Cilacap is part of our plan to diversify our products while at the same time to show our commitment to sustainable energy."

UOP has worked with Pertamina for nearly 50 years, licensing technologies to the company's Plaju, Dumai, Cilacap, Balikpapan, Balongan, and Kasim refineries.