OMCs Reject Karnataka Govt Claims Over High Ethanol Content in Petrol

OMCs Indian Oil, BPCL, and HPCL have dismissed the Karnataka government's claims of 26-31% ethanol in petrol. The companies cited procedural errors in testing and asserted that their fuel complies with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms.

Public Sector OMCs Reject Ethanol Claims

Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have rejected claims by the Karnataka government that petrol sold at certain retail outlets in the state contains 26–31 per cent ethanol, as per a release by the OMCs. The three OMCs asserted that E20 petrol supplied nationwide complies with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specification IS 17021, rejecting the Karnataka government's claim that petrol sold at certain retail outlets in the state contains 26–31 per cent ethanol.

"The OMCs would like to clarify that the claims, as reported, are not supported by testing conducted in accordance with the prescribed statutory and technical procedures. E20 petrol supplied by the three OMCs across the country, including Karnataka, conforms to IS 17021, the Bureau of Indian Standards specification for ethanol-blended motor gasoline," the release said.

Concerns Over Sampling and Methodology

The OMCs also raised concerns over the sampling procedure and testing methodology adopted during the October 2026 exercise, citing deviations from the prescribed norms under the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel Control Order, 2005, and Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG) 2024. According to the OMCs, the prescribed procedure requires six one-litre samples, with two each provided to the dealer, retained by the oil company or department, and sent to a designated laboratory for testing.

While samples collected in September 2026 were tested at designated OMC laboratories, the October exercise reportedly took place without OMC representatives. The companies said they had not received retention samples, outlet-wise details or laboratory reports despite requesting them. The OMCs further questioned the reliance on certificates issued by a third-party laboratory instead of a laboratory specified under the Control Order, stating that the certificates lacked sufficient technical details to independently verify the reported ethanol content. They added that the absence of retention samples and prescribed documentation prevented the companies and concerned dealers from seeking verification or retesting.

Technical Validation of Ethanol Content

The OMCs further stated that under IS 17021:2018 (Amendment No. 3, August 2025), ethanol content in E20 petrol must be tested using prescribed methods, including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), water extraction or Gas Chromatography. They noted that Gas Chromatography testing under ASTM D4815/D6839 requires samples to be diluted with oxygenate-free petrol in a 1:1 ratio, with results corrected against an E10 certified reference material. However, the laboratory certificates cited by the Karnataka government only mention "Ethanol % by Gas Chromatography", without specifying the testing standard, dilution procedure or reference material used.

"In the absence of these essential details, the reported ethanol figures of 26–31% cannot be independently validated against the methodology prescribed under IS 17021," the OMCs said. OMCs have requested the Government of Karnataka to share the complete sampling documentation, outlet-wise laboratory reports and details of the test methodology adopted for the reported findings.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)