Eni SpA has made a final investment decision to proceed with a project to convert several units at the Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi refinery in Pavia, Lombardy into a biorefinery.
The refinery will continue traditional operation while incorporating a new processing capacity of 550,000 metric tons a year for biofuel feedstock, mainly waste and residues. Expected to start operations 2028, the biorefinery will have the flexibility to produce hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the Italian state-backed energy major said in a press release.
“The project involves the conversion of the Hydrocracker (HDC2) unit using Ecofining™ technology as well as the construction of a pre-treatment unit”, Eni said.
“The hydrogen required will be supplied by existing plants, while supporting infrastructure, including logistics and connections to airports in Lombardy, will be adapted for the new production setup”, it added.
Earlier Eni brought in Kuwait Petroleum International Ltd to jointly develop another Italian biorefinery in Priolo, Sicily.
Designed to produce up to 500,000 metric tons per annum of HVO diesel and SAF, the Priolo project will rise on the site of an Eni ethylene plant set to be decommissioned.
Targeted to be completed 2028, the Priolo biorefinery will be fed mainly by vegetable waste and oils and animal fats, according to Eni.
“The project has completed the engineering phase. Preparatory activities for awarding procurement and construction contracts have begun; demolition works required for the development of the new infrastructure are about to start; and the authorization process has been launched”, Eni said in an online statement February 3.
Eni says it is already the second-biggest producer of hydrogenated biofuels in Europe. Eni has set goals to grow its biorefining capacity from the current 1.65 million metric tons per annum (MMtpa) to over three MMtpa by 2028 and more than five MMtpa by 2030, with the potential to produce up to two MMtpa of SAF by 2030.
Late last year Eni, Euglena Co Ltd and Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) began construction on a biorefinery with a processing capacity of 650,000 metric tons per annum in Pengerang, Johor, Malaysia.
Targeting a 2028 start of operation, the facility is expected to produce bio-naphtha, HVO and SAF, according to a joint statement November 10, 2025.
Feedstocks will include wastes such as used vegetable oils and animal fats, as well as residues from processed vegetable oils.
Eni’s current biofuels production come from two Italian plants in Venice and Gela and a United States plant in Louisiana, operated under its 50 percent-owned joint venture St Bernard Renewables LLC.
To contact the author, email jov.onsat@rigzone.com
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