OMV Petrom has made significant construction progress on a €560 million sustainable fuels facility at its Petrobrazi refinery in Romania, with the project scheduled to begin operations in 2028, biofuels international reported.
The new unit will have an annual production capacity of 250,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel, also known as HVO. It will use renewable feedstocks such as vegetable oils and used cooking oil, with green hydrogen supporting the production process.
OMV Petrom said the foundations for the facility have been completed, with around 20,000 cubic metres of concrete used in the work. Major process equipment, including columns and reactors reaching up to 60 metres in height, has also been installed.
The facility is being designed to adjust its production depending on market demand and the availability of raw materials. It will be able to produce SAF, HVO, bio-naphtha and bio-LPG.
The company expects the fuels produced at the facility to deliver at least a 65% reduction in lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions compared with fossil-based fuels.
Commissioning is planned for 2028 and will coincide with the development of additional electrolyser capacity at Petrobrazi to produce green hydrogen.
OMV Petrom sees the project as an important step in transforming the Petrobrazi refinery into a regional centre for lower-carbon fuels, particularly for sectors such as aviation and heavy transport where replacing fossil fuels with electric alternatives remains difficult.
Radu Căprău, a member of the OMV Petrom Executive Board, said the project represented a major transformation of the Petrobrazi refinery and would help the facility respond to changing market requirements and the energy transition.
“With a €560 million investment, we are building a new unit that will produce 250,000 tonnes per year of sustainable fuels made from renewable feedstocks,” Căprău said.
He said the lower-carbon fuels would help reduce emissions in sectors where electrification is difficult, including aviation and heavy transport.
Căprău said the completion of the foundations and installation of equipment up to 60 metres high marked important milestones in the project. He added that the investment was part of the gradual transformation of Petrobrazi towards sustainable fuels production.
