PALMOILMAGAZINE, BANDUNG – On March 16, 2022, the Pabrik Katalis Merah Putih, established by PT Katalis Sinergi Indonesia, was officially inaugurated in the Kawasan Industri Kujang Cikampek, West Java. The construction progress was significantly bolstered by support from various entities, including PT. Pupuk Iskandar Muda (PIM), PT. Pupuk Kujang, PT. Rekayasa Industri, and PT Pertamina.
Production and tool tests at the Pabrik Katalis Merah Putih were conducted on October 30, 2023. Subsequently, on December 1, 2023, Pabrik Katalis Merah Putih, under PT KSI, achieved a milestone by officially selling its first products — 11 tons of NHT catalyst to Kilang Pertamina Refinery Unit V in Balikpapan.
This has something to do with the Katalis Merah Putih development since 1982 that was pioneered by many researchers in Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB). In 2020, ITB through PT Rekacipta Inovasi ITB did strategic cooperation with PT Pertamina (Persero) and PT Pupuk Kujang to establish jointventure called Pabrik Katalis Merah Putih.
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The monumental signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) was conducted in ITB Kampus Ganesha on 29 July 2020, involved Director of PT Pertamina (Persero) Nicke Widyawati, Director in duty of PT Pupuk Kujang Rita Widayati, and Director of PT Rekacipta Inovasi ITB, Alam Indrawan. It was witnessed by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resource, and Minister of Research and Technology/Head of National Research and Innovation Agency.
On 30 December 2020, PT Pupuk Kujang, PT Pertamina, and PT Rekacipta Inovasi ITB did sign MoU to construct/establish PT Katalis Sinergi Indonesia. The project was acknowledged as on national strategic project which was regulated by President’s Regulation Number 109 / 2020.
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As Palmoilmagazine.com quoted from the official page of ITB, the innovation keeps running and hit its peak on 6 October 2021 when bio – aviation turbine (bioavtur) as the catalyst conversion result by RTI Pertamina and CaRE ITB was tested to plane – CN-235 Flying Test Bed that belonged to PT Dirgantara Indonesia. The test paid off by using bioavtur 2,4 percent (J2.4), to support green – house gas (GHG) emission reduction in aviation sector.
On 14 January 2022, it was the moment to sign contract of EPC Pembangunan Pabrik Katalis Merah Putih between PT Katalis Sinergi Indonesia and PT Wijaya Karya Rekayasa Kontruksi. In the same year, palm oil gasoline was also tested for vehicle with 2.000 kilometers. The route was from Bogor to Medan. It proved that innovation successfully created more hygiene and clearer gasoline than crude oil. (T2)
