After Karnataka Charge, Centre Says E20 Petrol Meets Prescribed Standards

New Delhi: The government on Saturday defended the 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol programme, saying tests of 893 samples collected across 27 states and Union Territories, including 56 in Karnataka, found them compliant with prescribed quality standards, as state-run oil companies challenged the Karnataka government's claims of excessive ethanol content in fuel sold at some retail outlets.The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in a statement, said Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) had found ethanol content in all 893 samples within the prescribed 19-21 per cent range under the Bureau of Indian Standards' IS 17021 specification.The 56 samples tested in Karnataka, covering different locations and all three oil marketing companies (OMCs), recorded ethanol content of 19-20 per cent, averaging 19.30 per cent, the ministry said.The findings directly contradict a recent press release by Karnataka's Department of Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology, which claimed that petrol samples collected from certain retail outlets in the state contained 26-31 per cent ethanol.The three OMCs have questioned the sampling and testing procedures adopted in Karnataka's October 2026 exercise, arguing that the reported results cannot be independently validated without compliance with prescribed statutory procedures and disclosure of the technical details of the tests.The dispute comes at a time when India's nationwide E20 programme, aimed at reducing dependence on imported crude oil and lowering emissions, has come under scrutiny over concerns about vehicle mileage, engine compatibility and the potential cost to consumers.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 must be drawn during an inspection. Two are handed to the dealer, two retained by the oil company or department, and two sent to an authorised laboratory.The OMCs said samples collected during a September exercise were routed through the State Level Coordinator to designated company laboratories, but the subsequent October exercise was reportedly conducted without their representatives.They said they had not received the corresponding retention samples, complete outlet-wise details or laboratory reports despite seeking them through the State Level Coordinator.The companies also questioned certificates issued by a third-party laboratory, saying these did not specify the standard test method, dilution procedure or reference material used to determine ethanol content through Gas Chromatography.Under IS 17021:2018, amended in August 2025, ethanol content must be determined through specified methods, including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, water extraction or Gas Chromatography under prescribed ASTM standards.When Gas Chromatography is used, the standard requires samples to be diluted in a 1:1 ratio with oxygenate-free petrol and results corrected against an E10 certified reference material, the OMCs said.The companies also flagged density readings of 0.742-0.749 grams per cubic centimetre in samples reportedly containing 26-31% ethanol, compared with 0.752-0.760 grams per cubic centimetre in their own E20 samples. Since ethanol is denser than petrol, a higher ethanol proportion would ordinarily be expected to increase the blend's density, they said.The OMCs argued that the discrepancies reinforced the need for independent testing using prescribed methods and appropriate reference samples.The government and OMCs also challenged estimates that E20 fuel could cause annual consumer mileage losses of around Rs 62,000 crore and vehicle repair costs of Rs 39,000 crore, taking the combined estimated burden to approximately Rs 1.01 lakh crore.Citing studies involving the Inter-Ministerial Committee, Indian Oil, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the ministry said the mileage impact varied depending on vehicle category and engine calibration.Vehicles calibrated for E20 could experience mileage reductions of around 1-2 per cent, while certain other vehicles could see declines of 3-6 per cent, according to the Petroleum Ministry's response to concerns over ethanol blending published on August 12, 2025.The OMCs said applying a blanket assumption of 10% mileage loss across the entire vehicle population was not scientifically established. They also sought supporting vehicle-performance data, materials compatibility studies and documented repair costs for the Rs 39,000 crore repair estimate.More than 30 crore two-wheelers and 4 crore four-wheelers have been running on E20 fuel for over three years, while more than 6 crore people visit petrol pumps daily, the companies said, arguing that there had been no reported widespread incidence of vehicle breakdowns attributable to fuel quality.India's ethanol-blending programme, which began with a pilot initiative in 2001, has become a key component of the country's strategy to reduce its dependence on imported crude oil, support agricultural incomes and improve energy security.According to Petroleum Ministry figures, the programme since the 2014-15 ethanol supply year has generated foreign exchange savings of more than Rs 1.97 lakh crore, substituted approximately 316 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by around 952 lakh metric tonnes.It has also resulted in payments of more than Rs 1.66 lakh crore to farmers.During the 2025-26 ethanol supply year, which ended on October 31, 2026, the three public sector OMCs procured 1,089 crore litres of ethanol and blended 1,134 crore litres against petrol sales of approximately 5,673 crore litres, the ministry said.The companies rejected suggestions that they had a commercial incentive to blend ethanol beyond prescribed levels, saying additional procurement would increase their costs.The controversy has implications for the credibility of India's ethanol-blending programme, which has been scaled up rapidly as part of efforts to cut oil imports and emissions. While the government cites energy security, environmental and agricultural benefits, questions over fuel quality and vehicle performance could influence consumer confidence and the pace of wider acceptance of E20.The three OMCs have asked 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 companies said they were willing to participate in a joint sampling and testing exercise and that any deviation established through the prescribed procedure would be dealt with under applicable guidelines.(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)