Petrobras Uses Technical Corn Oil as a Feedstock in Asphalt Production
Petrobras Uses Technical Corn Oil as a Feedstock in Asphalt Production
Petrobras has begun using technical corn oil (TCO) as a renewable feedstock in asphalt production at its Henrique Lage Refinery (Revap) in São José dos Campos, Brazil, marking a new application for an agricultural residual material within the company's refining operations.
Since June 2026, Revap has incorporated technical corn oil into the production of CAP Pro R, a Petrobras asphalt binder designed with renewable content. The refinery has already produced approximately 95,000 tons of asphalt containing renewable components since the change was introduced.
The move expands Petrobras' use of renewable feedstocks beyond fuels and into road-construction materials, connecting agricultural processing with the refining and asphalt value chain.
Petrobras Introduces Technical Corn Oil Into Asphalt Production
Technical corn oil is a semi-refined residual oil obtained from corn processing for ethanol production. Petrobras currently sources the material from Inpasa, a major corn-based ethanol producer.
The company had previously used technical corn oil in the production of advanced fuels, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and Diesel R. Its application in asphalt production represents another potential route for incorporating renewable carbon into petroleum-derived products.
At Revap, the feedstock is now being incorporated into the production process for CAP Pro R asphalt binder.
95,000 Tons of Asphalt With Renewable Content Produced
The scale of the initial production is already significant.
Since introducing technical corn oil in June, Revap has produced approximately 95,000 tons of asphalt with renewable content.
The development demonstrates that the use of agricultural-derived feedstocks is moving beyond laboratory research and testing into an operating refinery environment.
For Petrobras, the initiative also provides another way to diversify its renewable raw-material portfolio while continuing to operate its conventional refining infrastructure.
What Is Technical Corn Oil?
Technical corn oil is a residual oil recovered during the processing of corn, including corn used for ethanol production.
Unlike conventional refined edible corn oil, TCO used in industrial applications can be obtained as a semi-refined residual stream.
Using this type of material for industrial applications can create an additional value chain for agricultural by-products.
In Petrobras' case, the material provides a renewable feedstock that can be incorporated into products beyond the conventional fuel market.
CAP Pro R: Petrobras' Asphalt Binder With Renewable Content
The technical corn oil is being used to produce CAP Pro R, part of Petrobras' range of asphalt products.
Asphalt binders are essential components in road construction because they bind aggregate materials together and provide the properties required for pavement performance.
Petrobras has been developing asphalt products with a focus on performance and lower lifecycle carbon intensity.
The incorporation of renewable raw materials into CAP Pro R adds another dimension to this approach by introducing agricultural-derived carbon into the production process.
Expanding Renewable Feedstock Applications
Petrobras has been increasing the range of applications for renewable raw materials within its operations.
Technical corn oil was already being used by the company in advanced fuel production. Petrobras has certified the use of TCO and soybean oil as renewable feedstocks for its SAF production through a co-processing route.
The company's latest application shows how the same renewable feedstock can potentially serve different industrial markets.
Instead of limiting renewable feedstocks to transportation fuels, Petrobras is also exploring their use in materials such as asphalt.
Connecting Corn Ethanol With the Asphalt Industry
The project creates an interesting connection between two industrial value chains: corn ethanol production and road infrastructure.
Corn is processed to produce ethanol, while residual oil from the process can be recovered as technical corn oil. Petrobras can then use this residual material as part of its asphalt production process.
This approach creates an additional outlet for an agricultural processing stream and links renewable agriculture-based materials with the petroleum refining sector.
Such integration is increasingly relevant as companies search for ways to improve resource efficiency and develop lower-carbon industrial products.
Inpasa Supplies the Technical Corn Oil
Petrobras currently purchases the technical corn oil used in the initiative from Inpasa.
Inpasa is involved in corn processing and ethanol production, making the company an important part of the renewable feedstock supply chain.
The relationship also illustrates the importance of developing reliable suppliers for renewable industrial raw materials.
As demand for lower-carbon feedstocks grows, partnerships between agricultural processors and chemical, refining and materials companies could become increasingly important.
Potential Carbon Benefits of Renewable Asphalt
The use of renewable feedstock can contribute to lowering the fossil-carbon share associated with a product, although the overall environmental benefit depends on the complete lifecycle of the material and the specific production process.
Petrobras describes CAP Pro R as part of its more sustainable asphalt portfolio.
The company also points out an important characteristic of asphalt: petroleum asphalt cement is not intended to be burned. Once incorporated into pavement, the carbon contained in the material remains within the infrastructure throughout its useful life rather than being released through combustion.
This differentiates asphalt applications from fuels, where the carbon in the product is ultimately released during combustion.
A Different Path for Renewable Carbon
Most discussions around renewable feedstocks focus on fuels, plastics, chemicals or consumer products. Petrobras' use of technical corn oil demonstrates another potential pathway: long-life infrastructure materials.
Using renewable material in asphalt allows part of the carbon entering the product system to come from an agricultural source.
This could become increasingly relevant as refiners and chemical companies explore different ways to incorporate renewable carbon into products while maintaining existing industrial capabilities.
Implications for Brazil's Bioeconomy
Brazil has a large agricultural sector and significant experience in biofuels, particularly ethanol production.
The availability of agricultural processing residues creates opportunities for additional industrial applications.
The Petrobras initiative demonstrates how residual materials from biofuel production can potentially be integrated into other sectors.
In this case, technical corn oil moves from the corn-processing and ethanol value chain into refining and road infrastructure.
Such cross-sector integration can support broader development of Brazil's bioeconomy while creating additional markets for agricultural-derived materials.
Petrobras Continues to Diversify Renewable Feedstocks
The use of technical corn oil in asphalt is part of a wider effort by Petrobras to expand its portfolio of renewable raw materials.
The company has already worked with renewable feedstocks for advanced fuels, including SAF and Diesel R.
By adding asphalt to the list of applications, Petrobras is broadening the potential uses of renewable materials within its refining operations.
The strategy also gives the company an opportunity to evaluate renewable feedstocks across different product categories rather than focusing exclusively on transportation fuels.
What Comes Next?
The initial production results provide Petrobras with an opportunity to continue evaluating technical corn oil as an asphalt feedstock.
Future development will depend on factors including:
Availability of technical corn oil
Feedstock economics
Asphalt performance
Supply-chain reliability
Lifecycle emissions
Customer demand for lower-carbon asphalt
Scalability of renewable feedstock use
The production of 95,000 tons of asphalt with renewable content provides an initial operating base from which Petrobras can continue developing the application.
Conclusion
Petrobras' use of technical corn oil in asphalt production represents a new application for renewable agricultural feedstocks within Brazil's refining industry.
Since June 2026, the company's Henrique Lage Refinery has incorporated TCO into the production of CAP Pro R, producing approximately 95,000 tons of asphalt with renewable content.
The technical corn oil is a semi-refined residual material obtained from corn processing for ethanol production and is currently supplied to Petrobras by Inpasa.
The initiative connects Brazil's corn and ethanol value chains with the asphalt and road-infrastructure sector, while expanding Petrobras' use of renewable raw materials beyond advanced fuels.
As companies across the energy and chemicals industries look for practical ways to reduce dependence on fossil-based feedstocks, the use of agricultural residual materials in long-life products such as asphalt could become an increasingly relevant part of the renewable-carbon landscape.
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