Japanese petroleum company Eneos has collaborated with Mitsubishi to conduct a front-end engineering design (FEED) to accelerate the study of a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility at the Eneos Wakayama plant in Arida City, Japan.

The project, backed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), is aimed at enhancing the production and supply chain of SAF in the country.

This initiative marks a step towards large-scale SAF production in Japan, with the plant expected to generate approximately 300,000 tonnes of SAF annually from 2028.

Eneos has been exploring the feasibility of a SAF production facility since 2022.

The partnership with Mitsubishi, which brings expertise in global feedstock procurement, aims to leverage the strengths of both companies to expedite the development of the facility.

The FEED will build on Eneos’ established sales network, manufacturing and refining technologies, and feedstock procurement know-how.

The proposed facility, pending the outcome of the FEED, is set to produce not only SAF but also bio-naphtha and bio-diesel fuel fractions as by-products.

The feedstock for the SAF will be sourced from used cooking oil, animal fat, and other waste materials.

Eneos plans to expedite the development and mass production of SAF in Japan, with the support of METI subsidies.

The company aims to establish a supply chain for SAF and support the decarbonisation efforts, initially focusing on the aviation industry.

In 2023, Ampol and Eneos signed a MoU to examine the potential for creating sustainable SAF and renewable diesel at the Lytton refinery in Brisbane, Australia.

The agreement involves a feasibility study for a biofuel production facility with a capacity of up to 500 million litres annually of SAF and renewable diesel.