PALM METHYL ESTERS:

SUSTAINABLE AND
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
FEEDSTOCKS FOR OLEOCHEMICAL
AND BIODIESEL INDUSTRIES
Salmiah Ahmad,WolfgangRupilius,Hazimah
AbuHassan andZulina Abd Maurad

CONTENTS
Palm methyl ester and sources
Palm methyl esters & biodiesel
Development of oleochemicals
Sustainability and related issues
Diversification - biorefinery
Conclusion

PALM
METHYL ESTER
Palm Oil rich in C16 and
C18 Fatty acids

Palm Kernel Oil rich in C12 and

C14 Fatty acids

PROCESSESFORTHEPRODUCTIONOFME
CPO AND CPKO
TRANSESTERIFICATION

Methanol/catalyst
CRUDE ME

DISTILLATION
CRUDE VITAMIN

DISTILLED
ME

PFAD
PKFAD

REFINING

REFINED, BLEACHED &

DEODORIZED PO OR PKO
FRACTIONATION
RBD POLEIN &
RBD PKO STEARIN

FOOD USES

RBD P STEARIN &

RBD PKO OLEIN

TRANSESTERIFICATION
DISTILLATION

Methanol/catalyst

ME can be used as diesel

substitute or biodiesel

CRUDE &
DISTILLED
ME

COMPOSITIONISIMPORTANT
EXPENSIVE

PO

PS

Tallow

CNO

PKO

C6

0.2

0.3

C8

8.0

4.4

C10

7.0

3.7

48.2

48.3

C12

0.23

0.3

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

Vitamins

PALMBIODIESEL
(METHYLESTERS)

Crude / Distilled
Palm Oil Methyl
Esters)

RBD Palm Oil

Methyl Esters
RBD Palm Olein
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

IN MALAYSIA
Biodiesel Plants

Capacity (TPA)

5 Biodiesel Plants in Operation

300,000

4 Biodiesel Plants in Production

Trial

272,000

Current capacity in Malaysia

572,000

Addition of 11 Biodiesel

965,000

3500
2968

3000

2520

2500

EXPORTSOFME(VOLUMEIN
TONNES)
300000

2665

2000
1500
1000
500

258903
238921

250000

3191

0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

200000
150000

129716

100000
54981

50000

95013

47986

0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
ME BIO-D (PRODN) BIO-D (EXP)

ME BIO-D

VALUEOFMEEXPORTS
(PRICE/TONNE)

60000

MAJORDESTINATIONFOR
BIODIESEL
(intonnes)

50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0

EU

H-KONG

JAPAN

TAIWAN

SING

USA

AUST

P-RICO

IND

2006

12598

21

960

34406

2007

24696

221

87

216

5665

51953

6065

6001

109

BIODIESELANDPRICE
STABILIZATIONMECHANISM
y Diesel consumption in Malaysia 10

million tonnes
y If 5% -10% substitution 0.5 -1mil.
tonne demand
y Reduce stock
y Increase price
y 70% of cost is feedstock cost
Decrease profitability subsidy

BASIC ANDINTERMEDIATE
OLEOCHEMICALSFROMMALAYSIA
H20
catalyst
High T&P
R-COOH
ACID

R-COOCH2
R-COOCH
R-COOCH2
CH2CHCH2
OH OH OH
GLYCEROL

CH3OH/R3OH
catalyst

R-COOCH3
ESTER

H2 catalyst
R-CH2OH
ALCOHOL

MALAYSIANOLEOCHEMICALS:CAPACITY,
PRODUCTIONANDEXPORTS
(in000tonnes)
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

#Co:

15

14

16

17

Capacity

16

17

Oil used

17

17

Export

17

18

18

OLEOCHEMICALS:SUCCESSDUE
TO
y Adequate and consistent supply of

feedstock
y Complement the food industry in
Malaysia
y Environmentally friendly
y Acceptable to all religions and
y Sustainable

AVERAGEOFMALAYSIAN
PALMOILYIELD

MALAYSIANPRODUCTIONOFPALM
OIL&PALMKERNELOIL(intonnes)

%UtilizationofPalmProductsinMalaysianOleochemicalIndustry
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

1990 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
4.5

4.6

4.6

5.4

PKO

13.3 51.7 47.6 59.3

50

59.2 58.5 63.6 60.7 62.5

58

Total P

3.4

10

10.6 10.5 10.9 11.3 11.2 11.2

PO

3.1
9

3.4
8.5

10.5

4.6

4.7

4.9

SOMEADVANTAGESOFPLANT
DERIVEDPRODUCTS
y Plant derived products
linear structure easily
biodegradable
y Acceptable to all religions
y Good cost performance ratio
(less sensitive to water
hardness)
90

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Good biodegradation characteristics

4

12

16
LAS

20

24

28

MES

90

80

80

70
60

70

50

60

40

50

30

40

20

30

10

20

0
C12

C14
C12

C16
C14

C16

C18
C18

LAS
LAS

AS

AS

Performances very depending

on chain lengths

10
0
C12

C14

C16
54ppm

C18

LAS

AS

270ppm

More tolerance to water hardness

SUSTAINABILITY
Small population:
Need to move to
Capital intensive
industry
Industry with
Better value
addition

Sustainable Development (SD) with Equal

Emphasis on the 3Ps

Social equity and

People

Without extreme
Modifications
Plant derived
products are
More Environment
friendly

SD
Economic growth
and Profitability

Environmental
integrity and
Planet

LCAOFPALMPRODUCTSPRODUCTION
Land Preparation
Palm Seedling

Oil Palm (immature)

Palm based products

Oil Palm (mature)

Biomass

Palm Fruit Bunches

Biomass

In Estates

Upstream
Midstream

Agro-based Products
Renewable Energy

Kernel

Crude Palm Oil

Compost (as soil

Conditioner/fertiliser)

Palm Kernel Cake

Mulch (Estates)

Refined Oil

Palm Kernel Oil

Animal Feed

Downstream
Export

Processed
Food
(Cooking
Oil etc.)

Processed
Non food
(Biodiesel,
Alpha SME etc.)

Processed
Food

Processed
Non food

Export

PRICESOFOLEOCHEMICALS
(RM/tonne)
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1998

ALC
ME
ACID
CPKO
S.NOOD
GLY
CPO

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

DIVERSIFYUSESFORBETTER
PROFITABILITY

R&D TO :
yFind new uses for methyl ester
yFind uses for co-products
yUtilize waste

METHYLESTER:FEEDSTOCKFORMES
(ANIONICSURFACTANTS)
METHYL ESTER
Low Hydrogenation

SATURATED FATTY METHYL ESTER

(IODINE VALUE < 0.5)
Sulfonation

Digestion

Bleaching

Neutralization

Drying

METHYL ESTER SULFONATES (MES)

PERFORMANCES:
MESVSOTHERS
DETERGENCY(*)
FOAMING(*)

LABS ~ MES ~

FAS

~ FAES ~ AOS

LABS ~ AOS ~ FAES ~

FAS

~ MES

Similar
detergency
power
Similar
foaming
power

SOLUBILITY

LABS > FAES > AOS > MES >

FAS

Acceptable
solution

SKIN
COMPATIBILITY

MES > AOS > FAES > LABS >

FAS

Better skin
compatibility

SENSITIVITY TO
H2O-HARDNESS
(*) Very

FAS

> FAES > LABS > AOS > MES

similar, using optimum chain length selection

Source: Ballestra

Lower
sensitivity
to water
hardness

APPLICATIONOFMES

Powder detergent

Gel dishwash

Liquid detergent

Handwash

Liquid dishwash

Paste dishwash

27

METHYLESTER:FEEDSTOCKFOR
ESTERQUATS
Conventional
quaternary ammonium
compounds - an
excellent softening
performance.

120

% Biodegradability

Unfavourable
biodegradation
characteristics and
can not meet stringent
environmental
regulations

ESTERQUATS
surfactant of
choice due to its
excellent
environmental
profile

90
60
30
0
0

12

16

20

Days
commercial Esterquats

Esterquats (pilot plant)

24

METHYLESTER:FEEDSTOCKFORMEE
(NONIONICSURFACTANTS)
O

CH3

Methyl ester

n((CH2

CH2)
O

Proprietary

Ethylene
oxide

Catalyst

O (CH2-CH2-O) n

Methyl Ester Ethoxylates

where R = saturated or
Unsaturated alkyl group

Advantages:
Applications:
Faster dissolution in
water
Biodegradability
Exhibit
low
aquatic
toxicity
Cheaper

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

CH
3

Solubilizer in Cosmetic
Products
Liquid Detergent

Dishwashing Liquid

MEE
Hard Surface Cleaner

Emulsifier in personal
care products

Pesticide Composition

IMPORTANTTODIVERSIFYUSES
yFind new uses for methyl ester
yFind uses for co-products

yUtilize waste

SOURCEOFGLYCEROL

1999
9%

5%

2004
Fatty acids
Fatty alcohols

7%

41%

4%

Soaps

4%

Biodiesel
25%

Synthetic
13%

Fatty acids
Fatty alcohols

18%
49%

Others

Soaps
Biodiesel

13%

Synthetic
12%

Source:Frost&Sullivan

Others

POSSIBLEPRODUCTS
FROMGLYCEROL

MPOB RESEARCH
ON GLYCEROL

Vitamins

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 Malaysias
dependence on foreign labours
and improve value adding.
Preferably complementing
existing industries

** To further enhance the sustainability

it 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

THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION

www.mpob.gov.my

36