The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has said that E20 petrol supplied by the three public sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) across India, including Karnataka, conforms to the prescribed Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications.
The clarification follows a press release issued by the Karnataka Government's Department of Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology, which reported ethanol content ranging from 26 to 31 per cent in petrol samples collected from certain retail outlets in the state.
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Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
The Petroleum Ministry said E20 petrol supplied by public sector OMCs meets BIS specifications under IS 17021.
A total of 893 samples from 27 States and Union Territories were tested.
All 893 samples reportedly recorded ethanol content between 19 and 21 per cent.
All 56 Karnataka samples recorded ethanol content between 19 and 20 per cent.
The three OMCs questioned Karnataka's October sampling and testing procedures.
The companies have sought joint sampling and independent testing of the disputed samples.
In response, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) said that the reported findings were not supported by testing conducted under the prescribed statutory and technical procedures.
According to the Ministry, 893 E20 petrol samples collected from depots and retail outlets across 27 States and Union Territories were tested under the Oil Marketing Companies and Centre for High Technology (CHT) Quality Coordination Cell exercise. All 893 samples were found to contain ethanol within the prescribed range of 19 to 21 per cent under IS 17021.
In Karnataka, all 56 samples tested also conformed to the prescribed specifications, with ethanol content ranging from 19 to 20 per cent and an average of 19.30 per cent, the Ministry said.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The controversy concerns petrol quality, consumer confidence and compliance with India's ethanol-blending standards. Transparent sampling and recognised laboratory testing are important for establishing whether fuel supplied at retail outlets meets the prescribed specifications.
The oil companies have raised concerns about the sampling procedures and testing methodology adopted during Karnataka's October 2026 exercise. They said they had not received the complete outlet-wise details, laboratory reports and counterpart samples required for independent verification.
The companies have also sought joint sampling and independent testing of the disputed samples at an authorised laboratory using the prescribed testing methods, in the presence of representatives of the state government and the OMCs.
Under the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply, Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005, read with the Marketing Discipline Guidelines, 2024, specific procedures govern fuel sampling, sample retention, laboratory testing and communication of results.
The Ministry said ethanol blending at OMC refineries and depots is carried out through calibrated and controlled systems, with quality checks intended to ensure compliance with applicable standards.
The dispute has brought renewed attention to fuel quality monitoring, testing procedures and transparency in the implementation of India's ethanol-blending programme.
