Biorefineries: Eni, Petronas and Euglena launch JV for new Malaysia plant

Eni, Petronas and Euglena have reached a final investment decision (Fid) to develop a biorefinery at Petronas' Pengerang (Pic) industrial site in Johor, Malaysia. The three companies will form a joint venture in Malaysia to build and operate the biorefinery: the largest stakes will go to Petronas subsidiary Pmlsb and Enilive.

The biorefinery is expected to be operational by the second half of 2028 and will produce Saf (sustainable aviation fuel) and other biofuels such as Hvo (hydrogenated vegetable oil) to meet the growing global demands of the aviation and road transport sectors, benefiting from the expertise of each partner.

Construction of the biorefinery is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of this year and, when completed, the plant will have a processing capacity of approximately 650,000 tonnes per year of feedstock to produce Saf, Hvo and bio-naphtha.

The 'waste & residue' feedstocks to be utilised by the biorefinery will include used edible oils, animal fats, vegetable oil processing wastes, and other biomass, including microalgae oils, the use of which will be tested in the medium term. With the integrated facilities and services of the Petronas Pic, the biorefinery will be strategically located close to raw material supply sources and with easy access to major international shipping lanes, so as to meet the needs of customers worldwide.

The biorefinery will be built from scratch and is specifically designed to have full flexibility both in terms of raw material processability, thanks to the cutting-edge Ecofining™ technology (developed by Eni in cooperation with Honeywell UOP) and pre-treatment plants, and in terms of products, with a configuration capable of maximising the production of Saf for aircraft and Hvo diesel.