Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC), one of the largest integrated refinery and petrochemical developments in Asia
KUALA LUMPUR: Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS), Eni SpA and Euglena Co Ltd are jointly studying the possibility of developing and operating a biorefinery in the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) in Johor.
Eni SpA is an Italian multinational energy company headquartered in Rome, while Euglena is Japan’s leading biotechnology-driven and sustainability-oriented growth company.
In a statement, PETRONAS said the three companies are currently carrying out technical and economic feasibility assessments for the proposed project, with an investment decision expected to be reached by 2023 and the plant targeted to be completed by 2025.
"As PETRONAS continues to chart its course into the biofuels space, decarbonising and diversifying its production portfolio to cater for the rising global demand for sustainable solutions, this collaboration is momentous to unlock the partners’ respective strengths and jointly strengthen our position in the field of biofuels in Malaysia and around the world,” said Ahmad Adly Alias, PETRONAS vice-president of refining, marketing and downstream business.
According to the statement, the biorefinery is expected to be located adjacent to PETRONAS’ existing integrated refinery and petrochemical facilities and will be able to leverage the company’s integrated value chain as well as existing utilities and facilities in PIC.
"The complex’s strategic location with easy access to major international shipping lanes will also enhance the planned refinery’s ability to cater for the rising demand for sustainable solutions worldwide,” it said.
PETRONAS said the biorefinery is expected to have a flexible configuration to maximise the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for aircraft as well as hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) for on-road vehicles, diesel-powered trains, and marine transportation.
It said such flexibility would enable production to meet customers’ ever-changing and growing energy demands.
"The biorefinery is also expected to have the capability to process about 650,000 tonnes per year of raw materials to produce up to 12,500 barrels per day of biofuels, namely SAF, HVO, and bio-naphtha.
"The raw materials to be used will not compete with those in the food chain such as used vegetable oils, animal fats, waste from the processing of vegetable oils, and other biomass, including microalgae oils to be explored in the mid-term,” it added. - Bernama
