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The Riograndense Petroleum Refinery (RPR) has successfully processed 100 percent soybean oil in a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit using technology from Petrolio Brasileiro SA (Petrobras).
The refinery, located in Rio Grande, Brazil, used technology developed by Petrobras’ Research, Development, and Innovation Center (CENPES), which processes 100 percent renewable feedstocks, adopts process and catalyst innovations, and generates fully renewable petrochemical products, the company said in a news release Wednesday, adding that the test “represents a groundbreaking achievement, marking the first of its kind worldwide”.
RPR is planning to initiate the production of petrochemical feedstocks and renewable fuels, including bio-LPG, renewable marine fuels, renewable propylene, and bio-aromatic hydrocarbons, which are necessary to produce synthetic rubber, nylon, and PVC. Further, the concentration levels of BTX (benzene, toluene, and xylene) levels achieved in the gasoline through novel catalyst utilization can meet the necessary criteria for formulating high-performance ultra-low sulfur gasoline, Petrobras said.
The industrial test was done on two thousand tons of soybean oil. The catalysts used in the test are from the ReNewFCC line and were produced in partnership with Fábrica Carioca de Catalisadores (FCC SA), a joint venture between Petrobras and Ketjen, which produces catalysts and additives for the refining industry, according to the release. The test was done under a cooperation agreement signed in May among RPR’s shareholder companies: Petrobras, Braskem, and Ultra.
“We are producing typical petroleum products from vegetable oil. It’s a combination of innovation and energy transition that benefits Brazil”, Petrobras President Jean Paul Prates said. “Petrobras is once again leading significant processes of technical, economic, and social transformation, with global impact”.
Petrobras said that a second test is scheduled for June 2024, involving the co-processing of a mineral load with advanced non-food biomass feedstock known as bio-oil, or biomass pyrolysis oil. The process will produce propylene, gasoline, and diesel. The company said it is investing approximately $9.16 million (BRL 45 million) to finalize the development of the technologies, adding that investment in the tests complies with the Research, Development, and Innovation (RD&I) clauses of the Brazilian National Petroleum Agency (ANP).
After successfully demonstrating the concept on an industrial scale, RPR can now explore various business opportunities for the renewable products produced, according to the release. Further, Petrobras will have new alternatives to consider for its existing refineries, in addition to its ongoing projects of co-processing to produce renewable diesel and dedicated units for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel (HVO).
According to Felipe Jorge, Superintendent-Director of RPR, Petrobras’ technology makes biorefining an effective transition strategy for the future. “The first step has been taken. Petrobras’ licensed technology for Riograndense will enable us to produce renewables as early as next year while continuing to serve our current product and fuel market”, he said.
“The energy transition involves the development of new processes and products derived from renewable sources. We are committed to meeting the demands of this market and society”, Braskem CEO Roberto Bischoff remarked.
Meanwhile Marcelo Araújo, Corporate and Executive Director at Ultrapar, noted that “Riograndense’s test results demonstrate the tremendous potential of the bioindustry in the country. We are dedicated to promoting biorefining and advancing renewable fuels”.
In its most recent earnings report, Petrobras hit record highs in its quarterly and monthly operated oil and gas production volumes. The company said that its operated oil and gas production reached 3.98 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) in the third quarter, 7.8 percent above the second quarter, while operated production in September rose to 4.1 MMboe, 6.8 percent above the August volume.
To contact the author, email rocky.teodoro@rigzone.com
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