Petrobras Evaluates Investments in Green Diesel Production and Petrochemicals at Former Comperj

Petrobras Is Studying the Possibility of Resuming Investments in Refining and Petrochemicals at the Gaslub Hub, Formerly Comperj, Located in Itaboraí, Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro.

The project had been the target of investigations by the Lava Jato Operation and was downsized by previous administrations of the state-owned company, receiving funding only for a natural gas treatment unit. Now, the idea is to focus on diesel produced from a mix of oil and vegetable oils, also known as green diesel, to increase the capacity for refining in the country.

Petrobras Strategic Plan

The initiative to resume investments in the Gaslub Hub is part of studies to expand refining capacity in the country, but it is still considered preliminary studies that depend on internal governance evaluation of the company. Petrobras had already allocated US$ 600 million for investments in more sustainable fuel production at Brazilian refineries, now including Gaslub Hub and the refineries in Betim (MG) and Pernambuco (Rnest), also pivotal in the Lava Jato, in its strategic plan.

The investments in diesel with the addition of vegetable oils are part of the pillars of Petrobras’s first strategic draft under Lula’s government, launched in March this year. Among the proposals are efficiency gains and the combination of renewable feedstock in the development of resilient industrial processes and sustainable products. The company has not yet detailed how much it intends to spend in this segment.

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New plants dedicated to producing diesel with 100% sustainable feedstock, also known as bior refineries, are being evaluated by Petrobras at the Rnest and the Gaslub Hub. Furthermore, the Gaslub Hub may expand its scope to produce second-generation petrochemical products.

Comperj Under Construction

In the region of the former Comperj, work is underway to complete the gas treatment unit and will receive production from the largest pre-salt fields through a pipeline system called Route 3. Refinery construction has been halted since 2015, and the petrochemical hub has never gotten off the ground.

In 2021, Petrobras and the government of Rio de Janeiro launched a program to attract companies to the area of the complex, expecting up to R$ 15 billion in investments, but there has also been little progress.

Expectations for the Future

Petrobras has not yet disclosed the value of the investment aimed at the Gaslub Hub and the other refineries, but the Unique Federation of Petroleum Workers (FUP) estimates that the new green diesel units at Rnest and Comperj could start operating in 2028. The first unit to produce 100% renewable diesel for the company is expected to start operations in 2026 at the Cubatão refinery.
With the resumption of refining investments, Petrobras promises a turnaround in the company’s strategy compared to previous governments, when the focus was to restrict operations in this segment to the Southeast region, selling units in the rest of the country. However, the company only managed to sell refineries in Bahia and Amazonas and a shale production hub in Paraná.

Finally, the company aims to focus on diesel produced from a mix of oil and vegetable oils to increase the capacity for refining in the country. The investments promise to align the company’s production with sustainable and renewable practices, one of the key points for Petrobras in the coming years.