Petrobras Operates With High Efficiency, Expands Refining Capacity, And Increases Production Of Cleaner Fuels

With an average FUT (Fuel Transfer Rate) of 92% for its refineries, the company is expanding the production of refined products and making significant progress in the energy transition.

Petrobras' refineries operated with an average Total Utilization Factor (TUF) of 92% between 2023 and 2025 , a significant improvement compared to the 88% recorded in 2022. During this period, the company increased the average production of refined products by 3% and expanded its S-10 diesel production capacity by more than 20% , with an increase of 138,000 barrels per day (kbpd). The result reflects gains in operational efficiency, asset optimization, and investments in the modernization of the refining park, strengthening the supply of high-quality refined products with a lower environmental impact.

The expansion of S-10 diesel supply was made possible through projects at the Reduc, Replan, Revap, and Rnest refineries. Increased production reduces dependence on imports and contributes to improved air quality due to the fuel's lower sulfur content.

“The projects implemented in recent years have consistently increased the capacity and operational flexibility of our refining park. The expansions in our refinery units are the result of efficiency gains, process modernization, and applied engineering, always with a focus on safety and operational reliability,” says William França, Director of Industrial Processes at Petrobras.

Production records
The efficiency gains were also reflected in successive records in the production of refined products . Between 2023 and 2025, average diesel production grew by 3.1% and gasoline production by 9.3%, reaching historical averages of 419,000 barrels per day of gasoline and 452,000 barrels per day of S-10 diesel, in addition to record results in several refineries in the system.

The projects implemented during this period increased oil processing capacity by approximately 48 kbpd , with notable improvements at Rnest (+42 kbpd) and RPBC (+6 kbpd). Further expansions are planned for 2026 at Replan and Revap, which should add another 44 kbpd, in addition to progress on the Rnest Train 2 project, which will allow for an increase in capacity of up to 130 kbpd.

Biorefining
Another pillar of the strategy is the advancement of biorefining . The refineries are already adapted for the production of R diesel , with a current capacity of approximately 74,000 m^³ per month. It is worth highlighting that Petrobras already markets R5 diesel, widely used by public transport companies in Araucária, Paraná. Tests have already been carried out with increased renewable content in diesel, producing R10 diesel, a fuel used to supply the entire fleet of buses and power generators during COP30 , held in Brazil in 2025.

Regarding SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) , refineries have also been adapted via a co-processing route, allowing airlines operating in Brazil to use this derivative from 2027 onwards, as determined by the Future Fuel Law and the mandatory phase of CORSIA, a program of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aimed at reducing and offsetting CO₂ emissions on international flights.

The company is also conducting the bidding process for the implementation of the first plant dedicated to the production of 100% renewable fuels at the Presidente Bernardes Refinery in Cubatão (RPBC), with a capacity of 15 kbpd.

Furthermore, by the end of the first quarter of this year, Petrobras will begin operating, for the first time, at the RPR (Riograndense Refinery), the first unit in the country with 100% renewable fuel. Also in 2026, the company will begin construction of a plant dedicated to renewable energy production at the same refinery, with a capacity of 15 kbpd.

More natural gas
Petrobras also expanded its natural gas supply , increasing its processing capacity by approximately 21 million cubic meters per day (m^³/d), following the commissioning of new infrastructure at Rota 3 and the Treatment Unit at the Energias Boaventura Complex, reinforcing its supply to the industrial and thermoelectric markets.

In the field of renewable energy generation , the company already operates the first photovoltaic plant in the refining sector , installed at Regap, with a capacity of 10 MW. By the end of the year, new plants will come online at Rnest and Replan, raising the total capacity to 42 MW and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

With this set of results, Petrobras reinforces its commitment to the country's energy security, the efficiency of its assets, and the advancement of the transition to a more diversified, clean, and sustainable energy matrix.