Success in D100 Production, Pertamina's Gift for the Independence of Indonesia  

Jakarta, August 16, 2020 - PT Pertamina (Persero) successfully took a big leap. Pertamina has shown success in the testing of Green Diesel D100 production of 1,000 barrels per day at the Dumai Refinery, Riau, in last July.

The production of D100, which uses 100% raw palm oil, is Pertamina's gift for Indonesia on the 75th year of Independence on August 17, 2020.

Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia, on Friday, August 15, 2020, said in his state speech that great efforts have been and are being made in building energy independence.

"In 2019, we succeeded in producing B20, and this year (2020), the production of B30 has started so that it can reduce oil imports," said the President.

The President appreciates Pertamina for collaborating with ITB researchers to produce the Merah Putih catalysts as the main component in the manufacture of D100, which will absorb at least 1 million tons of palm oil produced by farmers per day.

"Down streaming of other raw materials is also being carried out on a large scale. Coal is processed into methanol and gas, and several refineries are built to process crude oil into finished oil and, at the same time, become the driving force for the petrochemical industry, which supplies high added value downstream industrial products," he added.

According to the President, this will improve the current account deficit, increase employment opportunities, and begin to reduce the dominance of fossil energy.

Nicke Widyawati, President Director of PT Pertamina (Persero), said that Indonesia has all that is needed. It is only a matter of how we can intelligently process these resources into energy that can create national energy independence.

According to Nicke, environmentally friendly fuel D100 is Pertamina's initiative to realize Nawacita, which is optimizing domestic resources to build national energy security, independence and sovereignity.

Nicke added that the Green Diesel D100 utilizes the abundant palm oil resources in the country as its main raw material so that the fuel has a very high level of domestic content (TKDN).

"Thus, the production of D100 at the same time will also reduce the deficit in fuel imports and encourage national economic growth," said Nicke.

The trial of Green Diesel production at the Dumai Refinery itself, added Nicke, has started since 2014 by gradually injecting Refined, Bleached, and Deodorized Palm Oil (RBDPO.

It starts from an injection of 7.5 percent of RBDPO in December 2014, then 12.5 percent in March 2019, and finally 100 percent in July 2020.

In a performance trial through a 200 km road test, the D100, which is mixed with Solar and FAME, is proven to produce higher quality diesel fuel with a higher cetane number. It is more environmentally friendly with lower exhaust emissions, and fuel usage is more efficient.

"Apart from processing palm oil at the Dumai Refinery, Pertamina will also build two other standalone biorefineries, namely in Cilacap, Central Java, and Plaju, South Sumatra," said Nicke.

The standalone biorefinery in Cilacap will later be able to produce green energy with a capacity of 6,000 barrels per day, while Plaju can produce a capacity of 20,000 barrels per day.

The two standalone biorefineries will produce Green Diesel and Green Avtur with 100% vegetable oil as raw material.

Apart from Green Diesel, Pertamina has also successfully tested Green Gasoline production at the Plaju and Cilacap refineries since 2019, and by 2020 it has been able to process palm oil raw materials up to 20% injection.

"Several other companies in the world have processed palm oil into Green Diesel, but processing palm oil into Green Gasoline on an operational scale is the first time done in the world, and that is by Pertamina," added Nicke.

The Innovation of the Nation's Children

Nicke added that the D100 Green Diesel production was processed with the help of a catalyst made by the nation's sons and daughters as a result of the collaboration between the Research & Technology Center of Pertamina and Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB).

"The production of D100 at Pertamina's refineries using palm oil as raw material, which is abundant in the country while using the Merah Putih catalysts, is a form of innovation for the nation's children. Pertamina is proud that it can create solutions for Indonesia," she said.

Pertamina, together with ITB and PT Pupuk Kujang have also signed a joint venture to build the first national catalyst factory in Indonesia with a target of completion in 2021.

Globally, according to Nicke, starting in 2030, the growth of new and renewable energy is predicted to be higher than fossil energy.

Therefore, she continued, it is very appropriate to start now or 10 years earlier. Pertamina has started to prepare the Merah Putih catalyst factory to achieve national energy independence.

In the future, she said Pertamina would develop not only green energy from CPO or palm oil, but also from other resources such as algae, wheat, sorghum, and more.

"Pertamina will continue to utilize all domestic natural resources, to support national energy independence and sovereignity," concluded Nicke.**