Eni has approved the final investment decision (FID) for converting parts of its Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi refinery in Italy into a biorefinery.

The refinery is located in Pavia, Lombardy.

Eni obtained approval from Italy's Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security in September 2025 to transform specific units at the refinery into a biorefinery.

Earlier this month, the Italian energy company, in partnership with Kuwait Petroleum Corporation's Q8 Italy business, revealed plans to build a biorefinery in Priolo, Sicily.

According to Eni, the two projects mark a major advance in expanding its biofuel production capacity through Enilive.

Both biorefineries are expected to be operational by 2028, with the ability to produce hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The transformation at Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi will add biofuel production from renewable sources without disrupting the current traditional fuel production.

The conversion will utilise Eni’s Ecofining technology for the hydrocracker unit and include a pre-treatment unit for processing waste and residues, which are key feedstocks for Enilive's HVO biofuels.

Existing plants will supply necessary hydrogen, and infrastructure will be upgraded to support logistics and airport connections in Lombardy.

This facility aims to achieve a production capacity of 550,000 tonnes per annum (tpa), offering flexibility in producing both SAF-biojet and HVO diesel.

Meanwhile, the Priolo project is progressing as planned, with preparatory activities under way prior to the award of procurement and construction contracts.

It will have a capacity of 500,000tpa, reflecting similar flexibility in producing HVO diesel or SAF-biojet based on market conditions.

The engineering phase of the project has concluded, and preparations for procurement and construction, including essential demolition activities, are in progress.

Currently, the authorisation process is under way, with final details expected to be settled by the end of 2028.

Eni initially announced the transformation of the Priolo site in October 2024, with further confirmation provided through an agreement signed in March 2025 at the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.

Situated at Versalis' existing site, the Priolo biorefinery will replace a dismantled cracking plant and forms part of the broader chemicals transformation strategy.