Aramco, TotalEnergies and SIRC to explore SAF production in Saudi Arabia

State-owned petroleum and natural gas company of Saudi Arabia Aramco, French energy company TotalEnergies and Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC) have announced a partnership to assess the development of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production unit in Saudi Arabia.

“With growing demand for air travel, it’s crucial to address aviation emissions through lower-carbon alternatives like SAF. Aramco and TotalEnergies, as major global energy companies, can play a pivotal role in meeting this need. By collaborating with SIRC, we aim to establish a sustainable aviation fuels plant in Saudi Arabia, benefiting both domestic and international airlines,” said Amin H. Nasser, Aramco President & CEO.

The collaboration, announced during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to the Kingdom, aims to leverage the expertise of all three partners to produce SAF from local residues, such as used cooking oil and animal fats.

“SAF is central to our transition strategy, and this project aligns with our broader goal of supporting the energy transition of oil and gas-producing countries. It also contributes to Saudi Arabia’s Green Initiative and Vision 2030 objectives,” said Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and CEO, TotalEnergies.

Earlier in October 2023, Aramco and TotalEnergies successfully converted used cooking oil (UCO) into SAF that has been certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC+).

This was the first UCO conversion into SAF in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The SAF was produced using SATORP’s Low-Pressure Hydrodesulphurization Unit (LPHDS).

SATORP is a joint venture between Aramco (62.5%) and TotalEnergies (37.5%) with the refinery is located in Jubail Industrial City in Saudi Arabia.