The Indian government has firmly rejected claims made by the Karnataka government regarding excessive ethanol blending in E20 petrol. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas announced on November 7 that comprehensive testing of 893 E20 fuel samples across 27 states and Union Territories confirmed compliance with prescribed quality standards, specifically within the 19-21% ethanol range.
This clarification directly counters Karnataka's assertion that petrol sold at certain retail outlets contained ethanol levels as high as 31%, significantly exceeding the national 20% blending target. The dispute intensified after Karnataka Minister Rizwan Arshad claimed independent laboratory tests from seven districts showed elevated ethanol levels, a concern amplified by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on social media.
OMCs Challenge Karnataka's Testing Methods
Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) – Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) – have questioned the sampling and testing procedures employed by the Karnataka government. They highlighted discrepancies, including the absence of OMC representatives during sample collection and the lack of shared counterpart samples or complete laboratory reports.
Furthermore, the OMCs argued that the third-party laboratory certificates provided by Karnataka lacked crucial details, such as information on the prescribed gas chromatography testing method, sample dilution, and reference materials. These omissions, according to the Petroleum Ministry, prevent independent validation of Karnataka's reported 26-31% ethanol levels.
Centre Disputes Consumer Loss Estimates
The Centre also challenged estimates suggesting that E20 petrol could lead to annual consumer losses of ₹1.01 lakh crore, including reduced mileage and increased vehicle repairs. Citing technical studies, the Ministry stated that E20-compatible vehicles might experience mileage reductions of only 1-2%, with other vehicles potentially seeing reductions of 3-6%.
Out of the 893 samples tested nationwide, 56 were collected specifically from Karnataka. All these samples reportedly complied with specifications, recording ethanol levels between 19% and 20%, with an average of 19.30%. To resolve the ongoing dispute, the OMCs have proposed joint sampling and independent testing at authorized laboratories. Until such comparable testing is completed, the conflicting findings remain unresolved.