Salmiah Ahmad, Wolfgang Rupilius, HazimahAbu Hassan and Zulina Abd Maurad

PALM METHYL ESTERS:SUSTAINABLE AND

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLYFEEDSTOCKS FOR OLEOCHEMICAL

AND BIODIESEL INDUSTRIES

• Palm methyl ester and sources

• Palm methyl esters & biodiesel

• Development of oleochemicals

• Sustainability and related issues

• Diversification - biorefinery

• Conclusion

CONTENTS

Palm Oil – rich in C16 and C18 Fatty acids

PALM METHYL ESTER

Palm Kernel Oil – rich in C12 and C14 Fatty acids

PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ME

CRUDE & DISTILLED

ME

TRANSESTERIFICATIONDISTILLATION

FOOD USES

RBD P STEARIN & RBD PKO OLEIN

RBD POLEIN & RBD PKO STEARIN

DISTILLED ME

CRUDE VITAMIN

FRACTIONATIONDISTILLATION

REFINED, BLEACHED & DEODORIZED PO OR PKO

CRUDE ME

REFININGTRANSESTERIFICATION

CPO AND CPKO

PFADPKFAD

ME can be used as diesel substitute or biodiesel

Methanol/catalyst

Methanol/catalyst

R PO PS Tallow CNO PKOC6 0.2 0.3

C8 8.0 4.4

C10 7.0 3.7

C12 0.23 0.3 48.2 48.3

C14 1.09 1.3 2.5 18.0 15.6

C16 44.02 55.0 26.6 8.5 7.8

C16:1 0.12

C18 4.54 5.1 21.8 2.3 2.0

C18:1 39.15 29.5 42.8 5.7 15.1

C18:2 10.12 7.4 2.3 2.1 2.7

C18:3 0.37 ‐

OTHERS 0.38 0.7 4.0 0.2

COMPOSITION IS IMPORTANTEXPENSIVE

Vitamins

PALM BIODIESEL (METHYL ESTERS)

RBD Palm Oil Methyl Esters

RBD Palm Olein Methyl Esters

Crude / Distilled Palm Oil Methyl

Esters) • Low pour point biodiesel – pour point 0oC to -20oC

• 2005: Scaling up to 30,000 TPA

• 2006 : Commercial production

Vitamins

CAPACITY OF BIODIESEL PLANTS CAPACITY OF BIODIESEL PLANTS IN MALAYSIAIN MALAYSIA

Biodiesel Plants Capacity (TPA)

5 Biodiesel Plants in Operation 300,0004 Biodiesel Plants in Production Trial 272,000

Current capacity in Malaysia 572,000

Addition of 11 Biodiesel 965,000

EXPORTS OF ME (VOLUME IN TONNES)

258903238921

54981

129716

9501347986

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

ME BIO-D (PRODN) BIO-D (EXP)

29683191

26652520

0500

100015002000250030003500

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

ME BIO-D

VALUE OF ME EXPORTS (PRICE / TONNE)

MAJOR DESTINATION FOR BIODIESEL(in tonnes)

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

2006 12598 21 960 0 0 34406 0 0 0

2007 24696 221 87 216 5665 51953 6065 6001 109

EU H-KONG JAPAN TAIWAN SING USA AUST P-RICO IND

BIODIESEL AND PRICE STABILIZATION MECHANISM

Diesel consumption in Malaysia – 10 million tonnesIf 5% -10% substitution – 0.5 -1mil. tonne demandReduce stockIncrease price 70% of cost is feedstock cost Decrease profitability subsidy

H20

High T&P

R-COOCH2

R-COOCHR-COOCH2

CH3OH/R3OH

R-COOHACID

CH2CHCH2

OH OH OHGLYCEROL

R-COOCH3

ESTER

R-CH2OHALCOHOL

catalystH2

BASICBASIC AND AND INTERMEDIATEINTERMEDIATEOLEOCHEMICALS FROM MALAYSIAOLEOCHEMICALS FROM MALAYSIA

catalyst catalyst

MALAYSIAN OLEOCHEMICALS: CAPACITY, PRODUCTION AND EXPORTS 

(in‘000 tonnes)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Capacity Oil used Export#Co: 15 14 16 17 16 17 17 17 17 18 18

OLEOCHEMICALS: SUCCESS DUE TO

Adequate and consistent supply of feedstockComplement the food industry in MalaysiaEnvironmentally friendlyAcceptable to all religions andSustainable

AVERAGE OF MALAYSIANPALM OIL YIELD 

MALAYSIAN PRODUCTION OF PALM OIL & PALM KERNEL OIL (in tonnes)

% Utilization of Palm Products in Malaysian Oleochemical Industry

010203040506070

PO 2 3.1 3.4 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.9 5.4 5PKO 13.3 51.7 47.6 59.3 50 59.2 58.5 63.6 60.7 62.5 58Total P 3.4 9 8.5 10.5 10 10.6 10.5 10.9 11.3 11.2 11.2

1990 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

SOME ADVANTAGES OF PLANT DERIVED PRODUCTS

Plant derived products –linear structure – easily biodegradableAcceptable to all religionsGood cost performance ratio (less sensitive to water hardness)

0102030405060708090

4 9 12 16 20 24 28

LAS MES

0102030405060708090

C12 C14 C16 C18 LAS AS

54ppm 270ppm

0102030405060708090

C12 C14 C16 C18 LAS AS

C12 C14 C16 C18 LAS AS

Good biodegradation characteristics

Performances very depending on chain lengths More tolerance to water hardness

SUSTAINABILITY

Social equity and People

Environmentalintegrity and

Planet

Economic growthand Profitability

SD

Sustainable Development (SD) with Equal Emphasis on the 3Ps

Small population:Need to move toCapital intensive

industry

Industry withBetter value

addition

Without extremeModificationsPlant derived products are

More Environment friendly

LCA OF PALM PRODUCTS PRODUCTION

Upstream

Midstream

Downstream

Palm Seedling

Oil Palm (immature)

Oil Palm (mature)

Palm Fruit Bunches

Crude Palm Oil Kernel

Refined Oil

ProcessedFood

(Cooking Oil etc.)

ProcessedNon food

(Biodiesel, Alpha SME etc.)

Land Preparation

Palm based productsPalm based products

Palm Kernel Oil

ExportExportExport Processed Processed Non foodNon food

ProcessedProcessedFoodFood

BiomassBiomass In EstatesIn Estates

AgroAgro--based Productsbased Products

Compost (as soil Compost (as soil Conditioner/Conditioner/fertiliserfertiliser))

Mulch (Estates)Mulch (Estates)

BiomassBiomass

Palm Kernel CakePalm Kernel Cake

Animal FeedAnimal Feed

Renewable Energy

0500

100015002000250030003500400045005000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

PRICES OF OLEOCHEMICALS(RM/tonne)

ALC

MEACIDCPKOS.NOOD

CPO

GLY

DIVERSIFY USES FOR BETTER PROFITABILITY

Find new uses for methyl esterFind uses for co-productsUtilize waste

R&D TO :

Sulfonation

Digestion

Bleaching

Neutralization

Drying

METHYL ESTER

SATURATED FATTY METHYL ESTER(IODINE VALUE < 0.5)

METHYL ESTER SULFONATES (MES)

Low Hydrogenation

METHYL ESTER: FEEDSTOCK FOR MES (ANIONIC SURFACTANTS)

DETERGENCY(*)

FOAMING(*)

SOLUBILITY

SKIN COMPATIBILITY

SENSITIVITY TOH2O-HARDNESS

LABS ~ MES ~ FAS ~ FAES ~ AOS

LABS ~ AOS ~ FAES ~ FAS ~ MES

LABS > FAES > AOS > MES > FAS

MES > AOS > FAES > LABS > FAS

FAS > FAES > LABS > AOS > MES

(*) Very similar, using optimum chain length selection

Similar detergencypower

Similar foamingpower

Acceptable solution

Better skin compatibility

Lower sensitivity to water hardness

Source: Ballestra

PERFORMANCES:MES VS OTHERS

27

Powder detergent

Liquid detergent

Liquid dishwash

Gel dishwash

Handwash

Paste dishwash

APPLICATION OF MES 

Conventional quaternary ammonium compounds - an excellent softening performance.

Unfavourablebiodegradation characteristics and can not meet stringent environmental regulations

ESTERQUATSsurfactant of

choice due to its excellent

environmental profile

METHYL ESTER: FEEDSTOCK FOR ESTERQUATS 

0

30

60

90

120

0 4 8 12 16 20 24

Days

% B

iode

grad

abili

ty

commercial Esterquats Esterquats (pilot plant)

METHYL ESTER: FEEDSTOCK FOR MEE (NONIONIC SURFACTANTS)

Advantages:

Faster dissolution in waterBiodegradabilityExhibit low aquatic toxicityCheaper

Applications:Emulsifiers, dispersants, wetting agents and solvents for adjuvant concentrates,pesticide compositions

OC

O

R CH3

CH2)

O

(CH2n

OC

O

R CH3(CH2-CH2-O)n

Methyl Ester EthoxylatesMethyl ester

where R = saturated orUnsaturated alkyl group

Ethylene oxide

+Proprietary

Catalyst

(

MEE

Hard Surface Cleaner

Liquid DetergentDishwashing Liquid

Emulsifier in personal care products

Pesticide Composition

Solubilizer in Cosmetic Products

IMPORTANT TO DIVERSIFY USES

Find new uses for methyl esterFind uses for co-products

Utilize waste

1999 2004

Source : Frost & Sullivan

41%

13%

25%

7%

9% 5% Fatty acidsFatty alcoholsSoapsBiodieselSyntheticOthers 49%

12%

13%

18%

4%

4%

Fatty acidsFatty alcoholsSoapsBiodieselSyntheticOthers

SOURCE OF GLYCEROL

POSSIBLE PRODUCTS FROM GLYCEROL

Vitamins

MPOB RESEARCH ON GLYCEROL

CONCLUSIONS

• Biodiesel/oleochemicals welcome additions to the OP supply chain. • Methyl ester - feedstock required• Palm Methyl Ester - sustainable & environmentally friendly:-

• renewable source, • high productivity, • adequate/predictable supply • plant-derived - easily biodegradable/acceptable to all religion

• The development enhance sustainability - reduce Malaysia’s dependence on foreign laboursand improve value adding.• Preferably complementing existing industries

** To further enhance the sustainabilityit is further proposed the uses of methyl ester be diversified and value be added to the by-products. A possible strategy is to develop biorefinery complex

36

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION

www.mpob.gov.my