OMCs reject Karnataka claims of excess ethanol in petrol
Public sector oil marketing companies disputed state findings that petrol samples contained up to 31.2 per cent ethanol.
Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Friday rejected claims by the Karnataka government that petrol samples contained ethanol levels exceeding the prescribed 20 per cent limit. The state government alleged that tests conducted by its authorised laboratories showed ethanol content as high as 31.2 per cent in some samples, according to the Times of India.
Karnataka Food, Civil Supplies and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad said findings from 14 of 63 petrol bunks were alarming. The state claimed that some Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) outlets recorded levels of 31.2 per cent and 30.5 per cent, respectively. The government also alleged that blending at some Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), Nayara, Shell and MRPL facilities exceeded the limit.
In a joint statement, IOCL, BPCL and HPCL questioned the sampling and testing methodology used during an October exercise. The companies argued the procedure did not follow the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel Control Order, 2005, or the Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG), 2024. They also stated that samples were drawn without the participation of their representatives.
The fuel retailers cited a quality monitoring exercise by the petroleum ministry's Centre for High Technology, which found 893 samples across 27 states and Union Territories to be within the 19-21 per cent range. They noted that 56 samples tested in Karnataka recorded ethanol content between 19 per cent and 20 per cent, with an average of 19.3 per cent.
The Karnataka government alleged that samples were initially sent to IOCL and HPCL laboratories, but those labs did not disclose the ethanol content. The companies have sought complete sampling documentation and laboratory reports from the state. They expressed willingness to cooperate in a joint sampling and testing exercise following prescribed procedures.