Petrobras to invest $6 billion in refining, biorefining and petrochemical projects in Rio de Janeiro
- Petrobras
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Petrobras announced July 3 that approximately $33 billion Brazilian reals (USD$6 billion) in investments are planned for refining and petrochemical projects in Rio de Janeiro, including $29 billion reals (USD$5.3 billion) in Petrobras capex and $4 billion reals (USD$731.5 million) in another project that operates in synergy with Petrobras assets.
The implementation of the integration projects of the Boaventura Energy Complex in Itaboraí and Reduc in Duque de Caxias involves an estimated investment of $26 billion reals (USD$4.8 billion).
This amount is included in the 2025-’29 business plan and service packages for the projects are currently in the bidding phase.
This new structure will increase S-10 diesel (diesel fuel with 10 parts per million sulfur content) production by 76,000 barrels per day (bpd), 56,000 of which from quality improvements and 20,000 from additional capacity.
The project also provides for a 20,000 bpd increase in jet-fuel production capacity and a 12,000 bpd increase in Group II lubricating-oil production.
The project also includes a dedicated biobased jet-fuel plant at the Boaventura Complex, with a production capacity of 19,000 bpd of renewable fuels—hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)—and two gas-fired power plants at the Boaventura Complex, which will participate in capacity-reserve auctions.
The engineering project for the power plants has been approved, and the units will leverage synergies with the infrastructure of the Itaboraí Natural Gas Processing Unit (UPGN).
A lubricant-oil re-refining project with a capacity of 30,000 m3 per month (63,000 bpd) is also under evaluation at Reduc.
With the operation of the Boaventura Complex for Group II lubricant-oil production, Reduc may repurpose existing units to re-refine used oil, applying the circular-economy concept to generate high-value products from waste.
The coprocessing test has already been authorized by ANP and is expected to take place this year.
Decarbonization at Reduc
Reduc has successfully completed a test for producing the first jet fuel with renewable content (SAF) through coprocessing, reaching up to 1.2 percent corn oil in jet-fuel production.
ANP authorization has already been granted, and commercial production at Reduc is scheduled to begin in the next few months, with a capacity of up to 50,000 m3 per month (10,000 bpd).
Reduc already produces Diesel R5, with 5 percent renewable content, and has received ANP authorization to begin testing a new 7 percent blend for Diesel R7 production.
These initiatives reinforce Petrobras’ commitment to the decarbonization of its products and the energy transition.
With a focus on modernization and energy efficiency, Petrobras said it plans to build a new thermal power plant at Reduc to replace obsolete steam and power-generation equipment, with expected investments of $860 million reals (USD$157.3 million), enhancing reliability and bringing the refinery up to the highest international efficiency standards.
Investments of up to $2.4 billion reals (USD$438.9 million) in maintenance shutdowns at Reduc are also planned from 2025 to 2029 to ensure the integrity, reliability and safety of the facilities.
Major shutdowns are scheduled for 2026 in the delayed coking and hydrotreatment units of the refinery.
Petrochemicals
In the petrochemical segment, a study for the production of acetic acid and monoethylene glycol (MEG) is under evaluation at the Boaventura Complex.
Acetic acid is an important raw material for the production of paint, PET and the broader chemical industry.
Brazil currently imports its entire acetic-acid demand and complements MEG demand with imports.
In addition to Petrobras’ projects in the region, Braskem, a Petrobras affiliate, is planning to expand its polyethylene plant, increasing the unit’s production capacity by up to 230,000 tons per year.
The project, which uses part of the natural gas processed at Route 3 of the Boaventura Complex, is budgeted at around $4 billion reals (USD$731.5 million) and remains subject to the necessary approvals by Braskem’s governance bodies.
