Pertamina converts household waste oil into sustainable jet fuel at Java refinery

Pertamina Patra Niaga’s sustainable aviation fuel project at the Cilacap Green Refinery in Central Java uses the plant’s thermal distillate hydro-treating unit to blend used cooking oil with other feedstocks, reaching commercial output of roughly 11 million liters of SAF in October. The waste oil feedstock represents a maximum of 5 percent of the unit’s total capacity. During a visit on 26 October, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka highlighted the initiative’s aim to generate economic opportunities for nearby residents, noting that oil collected by women through waste banks can be sold for cash.

The company is establishing a collection network that includes three waste banks—Beo Asri, Abhipraya and Cahaya Asri—together gathering over 4 000 liters annually, and has installed a collection box at Amarta Market in Kutawaru. Participants can exchange oil for money or e-wallet credit, turning waste into income while reducing environmental pollution. Pertamina is already marketing the SAF to domestic and foreign airlines and has also tested waste oil for green gasoline production.