Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has received bids for a contract to undertake a technical and economic evaluation of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production technologies and routes.

According to a document seen by MEED, the proposed study aims to perform a techno-economic evaluation of SAF production technologies and routes, enabling Adnoc to select the right solutions for future SAF production projects.

MEED understands that technical and engineering consultancy companies submitted proposals for the contract earlier this month.

"We are waiting to hear back [from Adnoc]," a source familiar with the project tells MEED.

The selected contractor is expected to define optimal SAF production solutions based on economic and sustainability quantitative considerations, considering Adnoc's potential feedstocks and economic environment.

Adnoc expects the winning consultant to "draw on its know-how and experience, and leverage as far as possible up-to-date market information and partnership arrangements with technology providers or developers, to ultimately define the optimal SAF production solutions".

The study aims to identify applicable technologies, both commercial and emerging, for SAF production from potential Adnoc feedstocks including:

• Waste and tail gases from Adnoc assets: represented by one combined monoxide and/or carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen stream;
• CO2 streams: one post-combustion CO2 stream captured from Adnoc facilities, one CO2 stream from direct air capture; 
• One syngas stream derived from UAE solid municipal waste;
• Sugar-based feedstocks: two such feeds will be considered for an international location based on different composition and/or carbon intensity;
• Lignocellulose-based feedstocks: two such feeds will be considered for an international location based on different compositions and/or carbon intensity. 

According to Adnoc, technologies should include International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC1)-certified – or under-certification – pathways, including alcohol-to-jet fuel, which includes ethanol-, isobutanol- and methanol-to-jet; Fischer-Tropsch; and synthetic isoparaffins routes.

Adnoc is keen to consider up to five technology routes for techno-economic evaluations for each feed, to be agreed upon with the contractor.

The study will also include the selection of two reference cases as a benchmark for the techno-economic assessment,
based on hydrotreated esters and fatty acids (Hefa) 2, using both oilseed crop and waste lipid.

SAF is a cleaner-burning fuel made from low greenhouse gas emissions-intensity resources, which can significantly reduce aircraft emissions compared to traditional jet fuel.

Using SAF as a drop-in fuel that is meant to be mixed with conventional kerosene implies producing SAF using ISCC1-certified pathways and feedstocks.

Adnoc said it recognises SAF as a key part of the strategy to deliver lower-carbon fuels to customers, with a position that is reinforced by the acquisition of ISCC1 certification to produce SAF in the Ruwais refining complex in 2023.

Given the market opportunities, SAF is considered a potential driver of growth across the company, it added.