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Indonesian-state owned energy company PT Pertamina is preparing to test its 3% palm oil-based jet fuel by the end of the year as part of its plan to increase palm oil fuel production in line with government policy, Reuters reported on 23 July.

The country raised the biodiesel content in diesel fuel to 30% (B30) in 2019 from 20% (B20) previously and is planning to gradually increase blending to 100%.

Pertamina chief executive Nicke Widyawati announced the plans a week after the company produced its first batch of biodiesel made entirely of palm oil (D100) in its Dumai refinery, saying it was expecting to produce 1,000 barrels/day.

“The green jet fuel trial is part of the roadmap for Pertamina’s biorefinery development in order to realise green energy in Indonesia,” Widyawati was quoted by saying by Reuters as saying in a statement.

The new jet fuel would be made at the company’s Cilacap refinery by ‘co-processing’ crude oil with 3% refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm oil, she said.

Pertamina is developing two biorefineries, one in Cilacap and the other in Plaju, with capacities of 6,000 barrels/day and 20,000 barrels/day respectively to produce diesel and jet fuel made with 100% palm oil.

In the same way as Pertamina produced D100, Indonesia was aiming to produce ‘green’ jet fuel made entirely from palm oil through processing RBD palm oil directly into its refineries using catalytic cracking and hydrogen gas, Reuters said.

The biodiesel programme is a key part of the Indonesian government’s strategy to soak up excess supplies of palm oil and reduce expensive fuel imports.