PetroChina’s first SAF project on track for 2026 completion

PetroChina's Huabei Petrochemical refinery in Hebei province is pressing ahead with the construction of its first-ever Sustainable Aviation Fuel unit, aiming for completion by Nov. 30, it said on its official WeChat account on March 17.

"This project is essential to our company's green transformation," said He Yong, party secretary and executive director of Huabei Petrochemical. "We must ensure quality completion by November 30 and begin production before the end of the year."

The facility will have a capacity of 10,000 mt/year of SAF, making it PetroChina's first dedicated SAF production unit.

The project is designed and engineered by CNPC East China Design Institute Co., Ltd, using established HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) technology, which converts feedstocks such as used cooking oil, animal fats, and vegetable oils into jet fuel, according to a separate report on PetroChina's website on March 17.

SAF produced from waste oils can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80% compared to conventional jet fuel, supporting China's aviation decarbonization goals.