據烴加工網站2月28日報道 雪佛龍正以31.5億美元收購生物柴油制造商可再生能源集團，這是該公司迄今為止在替代燃料方面的最大押注。

這家美國第二大石油天然氣生產商周一表示，將以現金支付可再生能源每股61.5美元，較該公司周五收盤價溢價逾40%。可再生能源股票在上市前交易中上漲了37%以上。

鑒于大型石油公司對全球排放的巨大貢獻，它們正面臨著來自政府和投資者的越來越大的壓力，要求它們減少碳足跡，并參與應對氣候變化的斗爭。

許多美國煉油廠一直在增加可再生柴油的生產，以利用州和聯邦政府增加的補貼來對燃料進行脫碳。

雪佛龍設定了到2050年將運營排放量降至零的目標，并于9月承諾投資100億美元，到2028年減少碳排放，其中約30億美元用于可再生燃料。

愛荷華州艾姆斯的可再生能源集團生產生物柴油和可再生柴油。

生物燃料由農業廢棄物和專門作為燃料原料種植的傳統糧食作物所制成。

雖然生物柴油和可再生柴油使用類似的原料，但可再生柴油經過單獨的精煉過程，使其化學成分與超低硫柴油相同。

該公司表示，正在尋找在某些市場將生物柴油混合到可再生柴油中的機會。

下游和化工部執行副總裁馬克·納爾遜表示：“大多數人認為（生物柴油）在美國和東南亞正在增長……并將其視為獲得最佳利潤的混合原料，因為它比可再生柴油便宜。”

美國能源信息管理局估計，到2024年，美國的可再生柴油產能可能會增加五倍，從目前的1億桶增加到5億桶以上。

該公司在一份聲明中表示，該協議預計將加速實現雪佛龍的目標，即到2030年將可再生燃料產能提高至10萬桶/日，并帶來更多原料供應和預處理設施。

雪佛龍首席執行官邁克·沃思向路透社表示，雪佛龍不會立即就其可再生能源業務發布單獨的財務報告。

該交易預計將于今年下半年完成，并可能增加雪佛龍第一年的收益，以及可再生能源集團在路易斯安那州的Geismar擴張啟動后的自由現金流。

高盛是雪佛龍的財務顧問，古根海姆證券為可再生能源的交易顧問。

王磊 摘譯自 烴加工

原文如下：

Chevron to buy Renewable Energy Group for $3 B

Chevron is buying biodiesel maker Renewable Energy Group Inc for $3.15 B, in its biggest bet so far on alternative fuels.

The second-biggest U.S. oil and gas producer said on Monday it would pay $61.5 in cash for each share of Renewable Energy, a premium of over 40% to the company's Friday close. Renewable Energy shares rose more than 37% in premarket trading.

Major oil firms are facing increasing pressure from governments and investors to shrink their carbon footprint and join the fight against climate change, given their large contributions to global emissions.

Many U.S. refiners have been ramping up production of renewable diesel to take advantage of increased state and federal subsidies to decarbonize their fuels.

Chevron has set a target to cut operational emissions to net zero by 2050 and in September pledged to invest $10 B to reduce its carbon emissions through 2028, with about $3 B earmarked for renewable fuels.

Ames, Iowa-based Renewable Energy Group produces both biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Biofuels are made from agricultural waste and traditional food crops grown specifically as fuel feedstock.

While biodiesel and renewable diesel use similar feedstocks, renewable diesel undergoes a separate refining process to make it chemically identical to ultra-low-sulfur diesel.

The company has said it is eyeing opportunities to blend biodiesel into renewable diesel in certain markets.

"Most people see (biodiesel) as growing in the U.S. and Southeast Asia ... and view it as a blendstock to get optimum margin because it's less expensive than renewable diesel," said Mark Nelson, Executive Vice President of Downstream and Chemicals.

The Energy Information Administration estimates renewable diesel production capacity in the U.S. may increase fivefold by 2024 from 1 Bgpy currently to more than 5 Bgpy.

The deal is expected to accelerate progress toward Chevron's goal to grow renewable fuels production capacity to 100,000 bpd by 2030 and brings additional feedstock supplies and pre-treatment facilities, the company said in a statement.

Chevron will not immediately be breaking out separate financials for its renewable business, Chevron Chief Executive Mike Wirth told Reuters.

The transaction is estimated to close in the second half of the year and is likely to add to Chevron's earnings in the first year and to its free cash flow after the start-up of Renewable Energy Group's Geismar expansion in Louisiana.

Goldman Sachs & Co was Chevron's financial adviser, while Guggenheim Securities advised Renewable Energy on the deal.