Lukoil considering SAF production at Bulgarian refinery

Russian oil and gas vertical company Lukoil is considering plans to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at its oil refining site in Bulgaria.

The company said that it has carried out laboratory tests already and has developed process design to upgrade the refinery to produce SAF.

Lukoil said in a sustainable development report that it planned to certify the product to International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) standards.

The company said that in 2023 it began preparations for the scheduled entry into force of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rules on regulating GHG emissions in accordance with the CORSIA mechanism.

Both short-term solutions (certification of the methodology for carbon footprint assessment over the entire lifecycle of jet fuel produced by Lukoil Group, LCAF) and longer-term solutions (production of bio-jet fuel, SAF) are under consideration.

Lukoil increased aviation fuel sales 7% to 3m tonnes in 2023.