South Korean refiner SK Energy said it has completed a dedicated sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production line at its 840,000 b/d Ulsan refinery and will begin commercial output next month.
The firm said it plans to use co-processing methods, integrating bio-feedstocks such as used cooking oil (UCO) and animal fats with traditional oil production processes to produce SAF alongside conventional oil products.
A 5km pipeline will feed renewable feedstocks to the refinery, enabling continuous production of SAF and other low-carbon products, SK said. According to the company, it is South Korea's first dedicated SAF facility.
SK said it obtained multiple certifications for SAF production and sales in June, including ISCC Corsia, ISCC EU and ISCC Plus. It plans to supply SAF to Korean Air for passenger flights from early 2025.
The company will continue to monitor domestic and global policies and market conditions to explore the expansion of its SAF production capabilities, SK's head of strategy division Hong Kwang-pyo said.
