Will Be Aircraft Fuel, Pertamina Study Gas Stations For Crude Oil Shelters

Crude Oil (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - PT Pertamina (Persero) is reviewing the use of crude oil or used cooking oil (UCO) to be processed into raw material for making bioavtur or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

Pertamina's SVP Business Development Wisnu Medan Santoso explained that the use of refined oil as a mixture of aircraft fuel is a consideration because the number is abundant in Indonesia.

Furthermore, Wisnu admitted that Pertamina already has qualified technology to convert crude oil into bioavtur or SAF.

"Actually, in terms of technology, we are ready, our research friends are even quite sure that technology wise, the catalyst is also not inferior," said Wisnu in Media Briefing Energizing Tomorrow in Sarinah, Jakarta, Tuesday, September 10.

Wisnu said the method that Pertamina is currently reviewing is to take advantage of the Public Fuel Filling Station (SPBU) network. Later, gas stations will become rationed oil reservoirs collected from the community to be processed into bioavtur.

"Until now, there are several alternatives that we are trying to think about, we are trying to take advantage of our gas station network in many parts of Indonesia, how can we use it as a means of collecting (extinction oil)," he explained.

According to Wisnu, the existence of a collection of refined oil will make raw materials or feedstock from vegetable oils for bioavtur needs easily accessible to the company.

However, Wisnu emphasized that the use of the gas station is still under discussion within the company, it has not been established as a policy in the development of bioavtur or SAF.

"It's not firm yet, it's just exploration, it's just brainstorming, but without enough feedstock it's a bit difficult to develop the project," explained Wisnu.

In line with the plan to develop SAF, Samhung Wisnu, Pertamina is also building a Cilacap Green Refinery which has a biofuel production capacity of up to 6,000 barrels.

"Currently in Cilacap there is a pilot project built with a capacity of 6,000 barrels per day (biofuel)," he explained.

According to Wisnu, the refinery has technology that can produce hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), or fuel with plant-based components.

In addition, continued Wisnu, the refinery is capable of producing bionafta and bioavtur or SAF products made from palm oil raw materials by processing the fossil avtur simultaneously through the co-processing method.

"It's just that the most ideal (use) oil is broken, because it is accepted by Corsia (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation), and in terms of availability, it's actually the most okay," explained Wisnu.