Petrobras triples its beef tallow refining capacity

Petrobras biodiesel plant in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, is tripling its beef tallum processing capacity from 50,000 to 158,000 tons a year. As of the expansion, refined oil obtained from beef tallow will make up 35% of the raw material mixture used for making B-100 biodiesel, the maximum percentage allowed by fuel specifications.

Petrobras reports the expansion will be possible thanks to a new local refining unit which will be completed by October 2015. The animal fat used in the process will also result in tallow and fatty acid, both commercially valued by-products.

Animal-based biodiesel provides greater benefits compared to diesel obtained from plants, and has thus become increasingly popular as a raw material. “Its higher cetane number means it has better ignition properties and plays a direct role in engine start-up and operation.”

The increased beef tallow refining capacity in Montes Claros will create a surplus that can subsequently be channeled to other Petrobras biofuel plants in Candeias, Bahia, and Quixadá, Ceará.

The Montes Claros plant is authorized by the National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP) to produce 152 million liters of beef tallow-based oil a year. But with a maximum 53.2 million liters a year (35% of the total) going into on-site production, the plant will have excess to channel to other plants.

Estimates by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) suggest that approximately 1.56 million tons of beef tallow is produced annually in the country. Each kilo of tallow yields up to 800 milliliters of biodiesel.

Translated by Mayra Borges