Assam: NRL explores ethanol-to-jet fuel possibility as biorefinery hits record production
Numaligarh Refinery Limited is considering ethanol-to-jet fuel production but requires greater ethanol volumes and heavy investment. MD BJ Phukan said aggregation from other 2G plants could facilitate the plan. Chairman Ranjit Rath urged patience until stabilization. The refinery achieved 81% expansion progress, record crude processing, and doubled diesel exports to Bangladesh.
Guwahati, Sept 17: Numaligarh Refinery Limited, which launched the country’s first biorefinery to produce fuel-grade ethanol from bamboo biomass, has not ruled out the possibility of venturing into the aviation fuel sector in the future.
“Ethanol to jet fuel is a very good concept, pursued mostly in European countries. But for that, we need some volume (ethanol). The current capacity of the NRL biorefinery is 50 KTA,” NRL MD BJ Phukan said, speaking to reporters after the annual general meeting of the company.
Phukan said “large investment” is required for the ethanol-to-jet fuel production plant. “It is a three-stage process. We will wait for the other 2G plants to come up. If we can aggregate the ethanol produced, it will be easier to make a plant,” he added.
NRL chairman Ranjit Rath added, “Let us wait for some time. We will wait for stabilization of the processed…and we will share at an appropriate time.” The first commercial production facility for converting ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) was opened in Georgia in January 2024, in what was seen as a step in advancing new renewable fuels projects globally to meet aviation’s emissions reduction goals. Aviation accounts for roughly 2 per cent of global emissions and 11 per cent of all transportation emissions. Meanwhile, Rath said the refinery expansion project has achieved an overall progress of 81 per cent, and financial progress of 78 per cent, as of date. Pre-commissioning works are slated to start in December. In 2024-25, NRL’s refinery achieved over 100 per cent capacity utilisation with 3,066 TMT crude oil processing – the second time in the last three years. This was possible with the highest-ever domestic crude oil receipt at 3,033 TMT from OIL and ONGC, apart from 22 TMT imported crude. NRL’s distillate yield at 86.7 per cent was the highest amongst the PSU refineries in the Country. Corresponding to high refinery throughput, diesel production during the year was 2,044 TMT. MS and Wax production touched their historical highs at 725 TMT and 50 TMT, respectively. The LPG bottling plant adjacent to the refinery operated beyond its rated capacity, leading to the production of 64 TMT packed LPG. On the marketing front, the highest-ever sales volume was recorded at 3,125 TMT, surpassing the previous highest of 3,019 TMT in 2022-23. Sales of MS, Wax, and Sulphur touched all-time highs at 707 TMT, 49 TMT, and 6 TMT, respectively. HSD sale was 2,030 TMT. RPC and CPC sales were 44 TMT and 57 TMT, respectively. Diesel export to Bangladesh doubled from 38 TMT last year to 79 TMT (valued at USD 54 million) this year.
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Source : Assam Tribune
