RIYADH: Saudi Arabian Oil Co. has successfully converted used cooking oil into certified sustainable aviation fuel through one of its joint ventures. In a statement, Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Co. announced it had used the foodstuff as a renewable feedstock in its low-pressure hydrodesulfurization unit, resulting in the production of certified SAF. SAF is a liquid fuel that reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80 percent, according to the International Air Transport Association It can be produced from several sources, including waste oil and fats, green and municipal waste and non-food crops. SATORP said in a statement that it expects to meet the rise in SAF demand in the Kingdom and estimates that the fuel produced from used cooking oil contributes to reducing carbon dioxide emissions over the entire lifecycle. The firm is 62.5 percent owned by Aramco and 37.5 percent owned by France’s TotalEnergies and was established in June 2008. Fuel is typically the single largest operating cost for the airline industry. The fluctuating price of crude oil also makes it very difficult to plan and budget for operating expenses in the long term. SAF may offer a solution to this problem since its production can be spread worldwide and across several different feedstocks, thereby reducing airlines’ exposure to the fuel cost volatility that comes with having a single energy source. On a social level, SAF could stimulate job growth and encourage improved waste management strategies, as it is not uncommon for waste to be an environmental problem in developing countries. Implementing SAF could provide a mutually beneficial strategy to process waste while simultaneously reducing CO2 emissions in aviation. In March, SATORP swung into profit of SR9 billion ($2.4 billion) compared to the same month in 2022 due to improved refining and petrochemicals margins. The company also hit an impressive gross profit of SR12.6 billion in 2022, compared to SR346.8 million reported in the same period a year earlier. Its sales also almost doubled to nearly SR76.8 billion in 2022 from SR41.7 billion in 2021.