Topsoe licenses kerosene hydrotreating tech to BPCL for Mumbai refinery SAF project

Topsoe has signed a licensing agreement with BPCL to supply kerosene hydrotreating technology for sustainable aviation fuel production at BPCL's Mumbai Refinery. The B2B Marketplace reported the deal on October 15, 2026. BPCL will revamp a 4,000 metric tonnes per day kerosene hydrotreater to co-process 5% used cooking oil with conventional feedstock, with commissioning expected by end-2026.

How the BPCL Mumbai Revamp Works

Under the agreement, BPCL will revamp its existing 4,000 metric tons per day Kerosene Hydrotreater Unit to co-process 5% renewable feedstock, in the form of used cooking oil, alongside conventional feedstock. Using Topsoe's kerosene hydrotreating technology, BPCL will produce SAF within its existing refinery infrastructure, without the need for a new dedicated SAF production unit. The project builds on the two-decade-long relationship between Topsoe and BPCL.

Having achieved final investment decision, the facility revamp is already underway, with commissioning expected by the end of 2026. The SAF produced will be supplied to airlines refueling international passenger flights at Indian airports, as the nation builds its domestic SAF ecosystem ahead of mandatory compliance with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) in 2027. India has committed to SAF blending targets of 1% for international flights by 2027, 2% by 2028 and 5% by 2030.

Alok Verma, Managing Director Asia Pacific at Topsoe, said: "India is an important and growing market for sustainable aviation fuel, and we are pleased to support Bharat Petroleum in taking this step towards increasing its SAF production capacity. This project demonstrates how Topsoe's technology can provide a practical route for refiners to begin SAF production, without significant modifications to existing infrastructure, while at the same time the co-processing of conventional and renewable feedstocks increases flexibility for fuel producers."

Sankar M, Executive Director, Mumbai Refinery, BPCL, said: "As India advances its journey towards Net Zero emissions in Scope 1 and Scope 2 by 2040 and accelerates its energy transition, Sustainable Aviation Fuel will play a pivotal role in decarbonising the aviation sector. We are pleased to further strengthen our collaboration with Topsoe, whose proven technology will support BPCL in expanding its SAF production capabilities. This project marks an important step towards building a robust domestic SAF ecosystem, strengthening India's energy security and enabling a cleaner and more sustainable future for air transport."

Topsoe's Restructuring and R&D Record

According to akta.pro company records, Topsoe announced in May 2026 a restructuring of its Power-to-X business: hibernating the seven-month-old 500 MW Herning SOEC factory, abandoning plans for a second US SOEC factory, impacting approximately 440 global roles, with DKK 3.5-3.9bn in one-off costs and DKK 450-550m in expected annualized savings. The same records show Topsoe invested DKK 753 million in R&D in 2025. Elena Scaltritti assumed the President and CEO role on 5 March 2026, succeeding Roeland Baan.

Earlier Topsoe SAF Partnerships

In July 2026, Topsoe, Sasol, and SUSTAERO signed a licensing agreement to develop a sustainable aviation fuel production facility in Canada that will convert wood waste into fuel with a planned capacity of 3,200 barrels per day, potentially scalable to 9,600 barrels per day, Carbon Herald reported. Topsoe and Sasol also announced a partnership to deploy their respective Fischer-Tropsch and HydroFlex technologies for Allied Biofuels' large-scale SAF plant in Uzbekistan, marking the country's first SAF production facility, ChemAnalyst reported. In May 2026, Topsoe and BioVeritas signed an agreement to produce SAF and renewable fuels from waste and sustainable biomass using a combined technology approach, gasworld reported.

What Comes Next for the Mumbai Project

Commissioning of the revamped unit is expected by the end of 2026, after the final investment decision already reached. The SAF produced will supply airlines refueling international passenger flights at Indian airports ahead of India's 2027 CORSIA compliance.