shown no significant issues when SAF is blended with conventional jet fuel.
SAF is designed as a “drop-in” fuel, meaning it is compatible with existing aircraft engines, turbines, and fuelling infrastructure. Within current certification limits (up to 50% SAF blended with Jet A-1 under ASTM D7566), SAF has no significant direct negative impact on lubricants.
In fact, many SAF pathways produce fuels with a lower aromatic content than conventional jet fuel. This can offer advantages such as reduced particulate emissions and, in some cases, more favourable cold-flow properties (e.g., lower crystallisation or freeze point). Because SAF is engineered to be chemically similar to conventional jet fuel, it can be blended and used without modification to engines or fuelling systems. As a result, there is no difference in how lubricants interact with engines under today’s approved SAF blends (up to 50%) because blending supplies the aromatics needed for material compatibility, particularly for elastomer seal swell.
Looking forward, the primary lubricant-related consideration emerges when moving toward 100% SAF adoption. Unlike conventional fuel, SAF contains little to no aromatics, which play a critical role in maintaining seals and ensuring proper lubricity in fuel systems. While this is not an issue in 50% blends, it remains an area of testing and validation for future neat-SAF use. Importantly, no lubricant manufacturer has yet released products specifically branded as “SAF-compatible,” but suppliers are actively aligning product development with SAF integration and broader sustainability goals. As adoption grows, the industry may need to validate whether existing lubricants suffice or if new formulations will be required.
In summary: SAF is a solution to reduce aviation emissions, not a problem for lubricants. It is designed to work seamlessly with existing systems and, in some respects, offers comparable or even improved characteristics relative to conventional jet fuel. At the same time, the shift toward 100% SAF opens an opportunity for lubricant manufacturers to innovate and develop formulations that address low-aromatic environments, ensure seal compatibility, and align with the aviation industry’s broader sustainability goal.
Conclusion
As the aviation industry charts its course toward net zero, SAF stands as both a symbol of ambition and a signal of action. While the SAF cost curve remains steep and the ROI is still under negotiation, the adoption signals are strong. Mandates are laying the foundation, voluntary targets are building the framework, and incentives are helping close the financial loop. The industry is no longer asking “if” SAF will scale—it’s asking, “how fast.”
klinegroup.com
LUBE MAGAZINE NO.189 OCTOBER 2025
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