OMV Petrom, the largest integrated energy company in Southeastern Europe, will produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at the Petrobrazi refinery by co-processing locally produced rapeseed oil.
The first test run volumes are estimated for July and they will help reduce the CO2 emissions from commercial flights.
“The production of SAF is part of our strategic objectives and we believe that it will become the main alternative for achieving the climate objectives of the aviation industry,” said Radu Căprău, member of the Executive Board responsible for Refining & Marketing. “Our goal is that, in 2030, to have an annual combined production of SAF and HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) of about 450,000 tons.”
This test run was based on a successfully completed first rapeseed oil co-processing pilot at the Petrobrazi refinery, performed in July 2020, after which OMV Petrom was certified as an HVO producer based on the CERTROM audit, in accordance with the requirements of the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC-EU) voluntary scheme.
Petrobrazi will thus become the first ISCC-certified refinery in the country to produce SAF and HVO by co-processing raw materials of a biological nature. The SAF volumes produced at the Petrobrazi refinery for commercial flights will help reduce the CO2 emissions by about 70 per cent compared to the conventional fuel. At the same time, the company aims also to increase the production capacities in the future, in order to produce advanced sustainable fuels based on various waste feedstocks (for example used cooking oil).
