On August 24, 2026, KBR announced that it had obtained the technology license and engineering design contract for Kazakhstan's first sustainable aviation fuel production plant. The project was jointly awarded by KMG Aero, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan National Oil and Gas Company, and KFP, an agricultural holding company, marking a crucial step in decarbonizing aviation fuel in Central Asia. From agricultural raw materials to low-carbon fuels, Kazakhstan is transforming its local resource advantages into new drivers for decarbonization in aviation.

The first SAF project has been launched

KBR will authorize its proprietary PureSAF technology for the project, which is developed by Swedish biofuel company and uses alcohol to aviation coal process to produce sustainable aviation fuel from alcohol based raw materials. According to the contract agreement, KBR will provide exclusive engineering design services. The project process design package is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027, and the final investment decision will be made based on this. This project responds to the directive of the President of Kazakhstan to develop the country into an international aviation hub, while effectively integrating locally produced agricultural raw materials into the low-carbon fuel value chain.

High value agricultural raw materials

The project will adopt the alcohol based aviation coal process to produce sustainable aviation fuel based on locally produced agricultural raw materials in Kazakhstan. The participation of KFP enables the project to incorporate agricultural products such as grains into the production value chain of high-value, low-carbon fuels. The project had previously signed a cooperation term sheet during the regional environmental summit held in Astana in April 2026, outlining the key parameters of the project cooperation. The signing of this contract marks the substantive stage of cooperation, adapting PureSAF technology to local raw materials and determining the technical specifications of future factories. Keywords: Central Asia News Network, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Clean Energy

Global SAF Layout Extension

This contract is based on the recent achievements of several PureSAF projects by KBR. Previously, this technology had been selected for NorSAF's planned 100000 ton SAF and electronic SAF projects in Latvia, as well as the SAF projects planned by Keppel and Aster in Singapore. The landing of the Kazakhstan project further consolidates KBR's leading position in the global aviation decarbonization field. Sustainable aviation fuel has become a globally recognized core path for decarbonization in aviation, with the potential to reduce emissions by up to 90% throughout its lifecycle. As an important aviation hub in Central Asia, Kazakhstan's launch of the SAF project will provide support for the green transformation of the regional aviation industry and accumulate experience for the subsequent development of SAF projects in Central Asia. As the global aviation industry's net zero emissions target advances, Kazakhstan is exploring feasible paths for decarbonization of regional aviation through its first SAF project.Editor/Gao Xue