Vietnam’s PCB starts ethanol exports

In late June, 4,300 cubic meters of ethanol products were shipped by PetroVietnam Central Biofuels Joint Stock Company (PCB), a subsidiary of PetroVietnam General Services Corp. (Petrosetco), from its US$80 million Dung Quat Oil Refinery to the Philippines. The Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper reported that the Philippines will use the products to produce biofuel E5, a fuel used in internal combustion engines such as motorcycles and cars. The PCB biofuel plant located at Quang Ngai, has been on trial runs since March of this year. It uses raw, sliced cassava to produce ethanol and has an annual output of 100,000 cubic meters a year. Of the total production, 5% or 5,000 cubic meters are sold on the domestic market, and 95% are exported mostly to the Philippines and other overseas markets. PCB was set up in August 2008, with Petrosetco owning 51% of its registered capital, while Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Co. (BSR) holds 39%, and PetroVietnam Finance Corp. (PVFC) with 10%. (June 29, 2012)