Oil PSUs defend E20 fuel quality, question Karnataka's testing methodology

New Delhi: Three public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), have defended the quality of E20 petrol supplied across the country, stating that all tested samples conform to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications.

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Responding to claims by the Karnataka government's Department of Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology that petrol at certain retail outlets in the state contained 26–31 percent ethanol, the companies questioned the sampling and testing methodology adopted in the October 2026 exercise.

The OMCs said E20 petrol supplied across their networks, including Karnataka, complies with IS 17021, the BIS specification for ethanol-blended motor gasoline.

According to the companies, 893 samples collected from their depots and retail outlets across 27 states and Union Territories were tested under the OMC/Centre for High Technology (CHT) Quality Coordination Cell (QCC) exercise. All samples were found to contain ethanol within the prescribed range of 19–21 percent.

Of these, 56 samples collected from different locations in Karnataka and covering all three OMCs recorded ethanol content between 19 percent and 20 percent, with an average of 19.30 percent.

The companies raised concerns over the October sampling exercise, stating that samples were reportedly collected without the participation of OMC representatives. They said they had not received the corresponding retention samples, complete outlet-wise details or laboratory reports despite seeking these through the State Level Coordinator.

Under the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply, Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005, read with the Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG) 2024, six one-litre samples are required to be drawn during sampling. Two samples are handed over to the dealer, two retained by the oil company or department and two sent to an authorised laboratory. The procedure also requires jointly signed sample labels and communication of test results within the prescribed timeframe.

The OMCs further questioned the technical methodology cited in the laboratory certificates accompanying the Karnataka government's findings. They said the certificates referred to ethanol percentage measured through Gas Chromatography but did not specify the applicable standard test method, prescribed dilution procedure or reference material used for correction.

Under IS 17021:2018, ethanol content in E20 fuel is required to be determined through specified methods, including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, water extraction or Gas Chromatography. The companies said the absence of essential technical details made it difficult to independently validate the reported ethanol levels of 26–31 percent.

The OMCs also flagged discrepancies in the reported density readings, which ranged from 0.742 to 0.749 g/cc. This was lower than the 0.752–0.760 g/cc recorded in their E20 samples tested under the QCC-1 and QCC-2 surveys.

Addressing concerns over vehicle performance and consumer costs, the companies said more than 30 crore two-wheelers and four crore four-wheelers have been running on E20 fuel for over three years. They said there had been no widespread reports of vehicle breakdowns attributable to E20 fuel quality.

Citing technical studies involving the Inter-Ministerial Committee, IOCL, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the OMCs said vehicles calibrated for E20 could experience a mileage reduction of around 1–2 percent, while certain other vehicles could see a reduction of 3–6 percent, depending on vehicle category and calibration.

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They questioned the estimates of approximately Rs 62,000 crore in annual consumer mileage losses and Rs 39,000 crore in vehicle repair costs cited in the Karnataka press release, arguing that a blanket assumption of 10 percent mileage loss across the vehicle population was not scientifically established.

The companies also highlighted the broader economic and environmental benefits of India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme. Since the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2014-15, the programme has resulted in foreign exchange savings of more than Rs 1.97 lakh crore, substitution of approximately 316 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil, reduction of around 952 lakh metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and transfer of more than Rs 1.66 lakh crore to farmers, according to figures cited by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.

During ESY 2025-26, ending October 31, 2026, PSU OMCs procured 1,089 crore litres of ethanol and blended 1,134 crore litres against petrol sales of approximately 5,673 crore litres in pursuit of the national 20 percent blending target.

The companies said ethanol blending at refineries and depots is carried out through calibrated and automated systems, supported by established quality-control procedures, and is not a manual or arbitrary process.

Seeking resolution of the issue, IOCL, BPCL and HPCL have requested the Karnataka government to share complete sampling documentation, outlet-wise laboratory reports and details of the testing methodology. They have also sought access to counterpart samples for independent testing at an authorised laboratory using the prescribed referee method in the presence of state government and OMC representatives.

The three companies said they were willing to participate in joint sampling and testing in accordance with the applicable regulations and guidelines, adding that any deviation established through the prescribed procedure would be dealt with accordingly.

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