Pertamina Patra Niaga Produces About 11 Million Liters of Co-Processed SAF From Used Cooking Oil at Cilacap Refinery
Why It MattersCo-processing used cooking oil in existing hydro-treating units shows state refiners can start SAF output without new plants, though the 5 percent feedstock cap keeps volumes modest.
PT Pertamina Patra Niaga, the commercial and trading subholding of state-owned Pertamina, is converting used cooking oil into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), known locally as bioavtur, at its Cilacap Green Refinery in Central Java. The project runs used cooking oil through the refinery's thermal distillate hydro-treating (TDHT) unit alongside other feedstocks. Vice President Director Taufik Aditiyawarman said the refinery has reached commercial production and made about 11 million liters of co-processed SAF in October, with used cooking oil accounting for a maximum of 5 percent of the TDHT unit's total production capacity. He described this as part of efforts to optimize existing refinery infrastructure to produce sustainable energy.
Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka visited the Cilacap refinery on Monday, October 26, 2026, to review the conversion. Gibran said SAF development must go hand in hand with community empowerment, so that oil collected by women through waste banks can gain economic value and connect with domestic industries.
Pertamina Patra Niaga is building a collection network through three waste banks supported by the refinery: Beo Asri, Abhipraya and Cahaya Asri. They collect 984 liters annually at Abhipraya, 2,283 liters at Beo Asri and 717 liters at Cahaya Asri, and residents can exchange the oil for money. Pertamina has also installed a collection box at Amarta Market in Kutawaru, where residents can exchange deposits for cash or electronic wallet credit.
Pertamina SAF is already being marketed to several domestic and international airlines. Pertamina Patra Niaga has also successfully tested used cooking oil as a feedstock for green gasoline.
