Saudi oil giant Aramco today (December 3) announced the signing of a Joint Development and Cost Sharing Agreement (JDCSA) with TotalEnergies, a global multi-energy company, and Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC) to assess the development of a sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) production unit in the kingdom.

 

This collaboration will draw on the expertise of the three partners to develop a SAF production unit by converting local residues from the circular economy, such as used cooking oil and animal fats, said Aramco in a statement.

 

The deal was signed in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron who is on an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud. 

 

On the strategic collaboration, Aramco President & CEO Amin H. Nasser said: "With demand for air travel forecast to grow, it’s becoming imperative to address aviation emissions through lower-carbon alternatives such as sustainable aviation fuels."

 

"This is where major global energy companies like Aramco and TotalEnergies can play a part, by collaborating to help meet this need. Addressing transport emissions requires a wide range of approaches and Aramco is pursuing a number of potential innovative solutions, as we seek opportunities to make an impact," stated Nasser. 

 

"We already have a well-established partnership with TotalEnergies and this new collaboration demonstrates our intent to explore ways to leverage our combined strengths, in this case with a view to establishing a sustainable aviation fuels plant in the kingdom with SIRC," he noted. 

 

"As Saudi Arabia’s tourism and aviation sectors expand, this could potentially benefit both domestic and international airlines," he added.  

 

Patrick Pouyanné, the Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, said: "We are delighted to partnering with Aramco and SIRC to study the production of sustainable aviation fuels in the kingdom. By leveraging our collective expertise, we can take a further step towards the decarbonization of air transport together."

 

"SAF is at the heart of our company's transition strategy, as we strive to meet the aviation industry's demand to reduce its carbon footprint," remarked Pouyanne.

 

"Saudi Arabia is emblematic of our multi-energy strategy aimed at supporting the energy transition of oil and gas producing countries. This SAF production project contributes to the country's Green Initiative and Vision 2030’s objectives," he added.

 

Engineer Ziad Al Sheha, the Chief Executive Officer of SIRC, said: "In keeping with our commitment to supporting the ambitious sustainability objectives of Vision 2030 and the Saudi Green Initiative, we have a keen focus on increasing waste conversion rates into renewable resources."

 

SIRC is a major player which collects and valorizes organic materials into sustainable products in Saudi Arabia.

 

"The new partnership with Aramco and TotalEnergies to assess the feasibility of a renewable aviation fuels plant signifies a major leap forward in our mission. We also believe it will enrich and energize our efforts to lead the development of the Kingdom’s circular economy," he added.-TradeArabia News Service