Brazil turns 100 pct soybean oil into biofuel in historic first

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Xinhua |  In a historic first, Brazil’s state-owned oil company Petrobras has succeeded in processing 100 percent soybean oil into biofuel, the company announced Wednesday.

“The Riograndense Petroleum Refinery (RPR) has accomplished a historic achievement by successfully processing 100 percent soybean oil in a fluid catalytic cracking unit at the refinery,” the company said in a statement.

The chief executive of Petrobras, Jean-Paul Prates, said the oil company was firmly and irreversibly on the path to energy transition.

“We are producing typical petroleum products from vegetable oil. It’s a combination of innovation and energy transition that benefits Brazil. Petrobras is once again leading significant processes of technical, economic, and social transformation, with global impact,” said Prates.

The trial was made possible through a cooperation agreement signed in May 2023 between the RPR shareholder companies, including Petrobras, Braskem and Ultra.

Petrobras is investing nearly 45 million reais (about 9 million U.S. dollars) to complete the development of technologies.

Felipe Jorge, director superintendent of RPR, said Petrobras’ technology makes biorefining an effective transition strategy for the future.

“The first step has been taken,” said Jorge. “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.” ■