Pertamina Targets to Commence Cilacap Green Refinery Operations in December

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-run oil firm PT Pertamina (Persero) has set a target to commence the production of green diesel and green aviation turbine fuel (avtur) at its green refinery by the end of 2021.

"The development of green energy is an implementation of the National Strategic Projects (PSN) by maximizing the potential of abundant palm oil supply as a renewable energy resource," Corporate Secretary Subholding Refining & Petrochemical of PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional Ifki Sukarya noted in a statement here on Saturday.

The green refinery located in Cilacap District of Central Java has a capacity to produce three thousand barrels of green diesel fuel per day and six thousand barrels per day of avtur.

In January 2021, Pertamina had tested the production of green diesel that uses Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized Palm Oil (RBDPO). Crude Palm Oil (CPO) is subject to refining for the removal of fatty acids and for purification to remove the odor and color.

Pertamina will conduct green diesel and green avtur development in two stages. First, it will process 3,000 barrels of RBDPO per day to produce green diesel starting from December.

In its second stage, Pertamina will process 6,000 barrels of CPO per day to make green avtur from December 2022 end.

"This is our concrete commitment to meet the demand of alternative feedstock by tapping into the domestic energy potential, reducing the imports of crude oil, and using environmentally friendly renewable energy," Sukarya affirmed.

In April 2020, Pertamina had begun producing green gasoline at its green refinery in Plaju, South Sumatra, with octane level equal to that of Pertamax.

The development of Pertamina's green refinery has had a dual impact on improving the economic value of palm oil in Indonesia and curbed crude fossil fuel imports, he pointed out.

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ANTARA