Virgin Australia Airlines becomes 1st international service to use Pertamina’s SAF

Photo: Pertamina

PT Pertamina Patra Niaga announced Sept. 18 that it continues to expand the distribution of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) with a new carrier Virgin Australia Airlines utilizing its SAF as part of celebrations at the Bali International Air Show.  

Approximately 160,000 liters (42,268 gallons) of SAF was supplied to Virgin Australia’s Boeing 737 for two days of services out of Bali International Airport I Gusti Ngurah Rai Sept. 18-19.

“The first SAF delivery at Ngurah Rai Airport signifies that Indonesia can adapt to the energy-mix demands in the international aviation industry, where SAF is currently a medium-term solution for flights to reduce carbon footprint without requiring changes to aircraft, airport infrastructure or jet-fuel supply chains,” said Riva Siahaan, the president director of Pertamina Patra Niaga.

Riva added that the SAF supplied complies with the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification framework for the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation and the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive.

Additionally, SAF meets international standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials and is certified safe as a CORSIA-eligible fuel (CEF) claimed by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Pertamina’s SAF is a 38 percent blend of synthetic kerosene produced from used cooking oil (UCO).

Fiona Walmsley, Virgin Australia’s general manager of sustainability, said this collaboration is symbolic of the airline’s commitment to reduce its carbon-emissions intensity by 22 percent by 2030, and its commitment to target net-zero emissions by 2050.  

“SAF is a critical enabler to helping reduce the carbon emissions of the aviation sector,” Walmsley said. “We are pleased to be able to showcase the safety, effectiveness and efficiency of using SAF as part of our short-haul international operations. For Australia, one of the most difficult hurdles to overcome is the availability of affordable SAF within our country. By working together on this initiative, Pertamina has helped to bridge the gap for us but ultimately we need the support from many areas within the Australian and international aviation industry to ensure an ongoing, reliable and affordable SAF operation at Virgin Australia.”

Virgin Australia services routes from Denpasar to Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Gold Coast.

SAF distributed at the Aviation Fuel Terminal Ngurah Rai is managed using a mass-balance chain-of-custody method.

In this method, conventional jet fuel and SAF are blended in the same tank because they have similar technical specifications.

Despite being blended, jet fuel and SAF are recorded and accounted for separately.

According to PT Pertamina Niaga, the supply of SAF to the global market is a tangible commitment from the company that aggressively promotes energy transition in the aviation sector and supports Indonesia’s net-zero target by 2060.