Pertamina continues SAF development

Indonesia’s Pertamina has decided to continue developing environmentally friendly fuel innovations, which include Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) development for commercial aircrafts.

This follows a series of successful static tests of SAF on CFM56-7B jet engines commonly used in commercial aircraft at GMF Aeroasia’s Test Cell facility; this trial was the first step taken by the organisation toward ensuring the feasibility of SAF for use in commercial aircraft.

Pertamina is now pushing for SAF to be adopted for commercial flights after previously successfully flying military aircraft type CN-250 using SAF in 2021.

Following the successful static test results, the SAF product will enter the next testing phase, including Ground Round and Flight Test.

VP of Corporate Communication of Pertamina, Fadjar Djoko Santoso, stated that Pertamina produces SAF through co-processing, a method that produces green fuel by processing vegetable oil feedstock and petroleum simultaneously into green hydrocarbon, namely bio aviation fuel (bioavtur). SAF production is currently carried out at RU IV Cilacap.

“As an energy company, Pertamina strives to respond to global challenges by producing green fuel, namely SAF, for the aviation industry in Indonesia,” he said.

Furthermore, Fadjar explained that SAF is developed as one of Pertamina’s efforts to implement energy transition programmes and to achieve the NZE 2060 target, where all Pertamina Group business lines collectively develop green fuel innovations.

“This SAF product is developed in collaboration with various functions and sub-holdings within Pertamina and is produced by Pertamina Refineries. We believe that through this established synergy, we will continue to move forward in developing SAF as a key milestone and Biofuel or Green Energy acceleration in Indonesia,” he concluded.