E20 petrol samples in Karnataka record up to 19.9 pc ethanol: OMCs

Oil marketing companies BPCL and HPCL reaffirmed E20 petrol quality amid allegations of excessive ethanol blending in Karnataka. Tests on 56 samples found an average ethanol content of 19.3 per cent, with all samples meeting prescribed specifications

New Delhi: State-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs), including Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), on Monday reaffirmed the quality of E20 petrol amid allegations of excessive ethanol blending in Karnataka citing a test conducted in the presence of customers that recorded 19.9 per cent ethanol in a petrol sample.

BPCL, in a post on X, said a test conducted in the presence of customers recorded 19.9 per cent ethanol in a petrol sample, reaffirming its commitment to transparent testing and assuring fuel quality. “Facts verified, confidence reinforced,” the company said.

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Meanwhile, HPCL cited the findings from the 56 samples tested by public sector OMCs in Karnataka, saying the results offered a clearer picture amid the controversy. “When claims make headlines, facts deserve the final word,” HPCL said in a post on X, adding that an average ethanol content of 19.3 per cent had been recorded across the samples.

The company also emphasised the importance of prescribed testing methods and certified reference materials in determining fuel quality, saying reliable results depended not just on the figures but also on the scientific methodology used. The latest statements come after the government earlier this month rejected claims of excessive ethanol blending in petrol at certain retail outlets in Karnataka.

The ministry had said all 56 samples tested in the state under a nationwide quality monitoring exercise complied with the prescribed E20 specifications, recording ethanol content between 19 per cent and 20 per cent. It had also questioned the sampling and testing methodology adopted during an October exercise in Karnataka, saying reported claims of 26-31 per cent ethanol blending were not supported by tests conducted under prescribed statutory and technical procedures.

According to the ministry, E20 petrol supplied by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), BPCL and HPCL across the country, including Karnataka, conforms to IS 17021, the Bureau of Indian Standards specification for ethanol-blended motor gasoline.

The ministry said the prescribed procedure under the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply, Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005, read with the Marketing Discipline Guidelines 2024, provides for a defined process for sampling, retention, testing and communication of results.

It had also said the OMCs were not provided with corresponding retention samples, complete outlet-wise details or laboratory reports from the October exercise, despite seeking them through the State Level Coordinator.

The government further noted that all 893 E20 samples collected from 27 states and Union Territories under a nationwide quality monitoring exercise were found to contain ethanol within the prescribed 19-21 per cent range.