Oil companies reject Karnataka's claim of high ethanol in petrol
State-run oil marketing companies have challenged the Karnataka government's findings that petrol contained up to 31.2 per cent ethanol.
State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Saturday rejected claims by the Karnataka government that petrol sold at some retail outlets in the state contained between 26 per cent and 31 per cent ethanol, according to the Hindustan Times. The companies challenged the testing methodology used to reach these findings and have requested sampling records and laboratory reports for independent verification.
The Karnataka government alleged that petrol samples collected from seven districts, including Bengaluru, Kolar, and Mangaluru, exceeded the prescribed 20 per cent limit for E20 fuel. Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad stated that tests recorded ethanol concentrations as high as 31.2 per cent.
In a joint statement, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) said the reported claims were not supported by testing conducted under prescribed statutory and technical procedures. The OMCs stated that their E20 petrol conforms to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specification, IS 17021.
The companies noted that the samples were reportedly collected without the participation of OMC representatives. They also stated that the findings relied on certificates from a third-party laboratory rather than a laboratory specified under the Control Order, which prevents independent verification of the technical details.
The OMCs further claimed that 56 samples tested in Karnataka by the Centre for High Technology (CHT) showed ethanol content between 19 per cent and 20 per cent, with an average of 19.30 per cent. The companies have sought access to counterpart samples for retesting at an authorised laboratory in the presence of both state and company representatives.