Oil companies reject E20 contamination claims, say pan-India testing shows quality as per norms

Late July, auto industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) had flagged concerns over corrosion and wear to some engine parts due to “excessive chloride and moisture content in the fuel”, but later withdrew its letter to the government, saying the data would require further authentication.

The government, meanwhile, directed the OMCs to strengthen fuel quality monitoring across the country. The issue has also found political traction, with some Opposition leaders attacking the government over mandatory rollout of E20 petrol and the lack of choice for consumers.

“Amid recent media reports on moisture and chloride in EBMS (Ethanol Blended Motor Spirit or E20), OMCs carried out a nationwide additional intensive testing covering the entire EBMS supply chain. The findings reaffirm that fuel quality remains consistently well within prescribed limits. Contrary to certain assertions being made, there is no evidence of any alarm on account of fuel contamination validated by extensive and scientifically designed tests,” said the OMCs — Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum.

“Government of India has prescribed a stringent chloride specification for ethanol used in petrol blending and has instituted a high-frequency monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance across the entire supply chain. Chloride monitoring is being done at multiple points of supply chain, including refineries, distilleries, depots/terminals and retail outlets, confirming that quality is being consistently maintained throughout the supply chain,” the OMCs said.

In addition to the already established quality assurance protocols, the OMCs said they have further strengthened surveillance by conducting water-ingress and density tests eight to twelve times daily at fuel retail outlets. Mobile fuel quality testing laboratories have also been deployed across locations, while test results are being independently validated through fuel laboratories to ensure the highest standards of quality assurance, they said.

Over 100 additional randomly selected petrol samples tested across various refineries showed that chloride content was consistently low, and all samples reported at or below 1 part per million (ppm). Ethanol supplied by distilleries also consistently recorded chloride levels significantly below the prescribed limit of 3 ppm. “A dedicated task force having members of OMCs & CHT (Centre for High Technology under the Petroleum Ministry) has checked ethanol samples from 80 distilleries across the country in the last 10 days and all samples had chloride content less than 3 ppm,” the OMCs said.

“Ethanol and E20 samples tested at depots and terminals continue to meet prescribed chloride limits, with regular monitoring at this stage ensuring that quality is maintained as fuel moves through the storage and distribution network. More than 80 samples collected from various OMC terminals showed chloride content below 3 ppm,” they said.

At the retail outlets (ROs), or petrol pumps, just two “isolated instances” of elevated chloride levels were detected in surveillance, after which sales at these outlets were suspended, followed by a detailed root-cause analysis and implementation of corrective measures before restoration of supplies.

“Under the intensified monitoring programme, more than 160 samples (from retail outlets) have been analysed for chloride content in last few days and levels are in range of 0-3 ppm, contrary to the claims of several hundred ppm,” the OMCs said.

“About 90,000 ROs have commenced mandatory inspection and monitoring of underground storage tanks. The underground tanks at ROs are being inspected 8-12 times every day and have not revealed any water ingress so far,” they said.

The OMCs assured consumers that fuel quality surveillance is undertaken continuously across the supply chain, and wherever any deviation is detected, prompt and decisive corrective action is initiated. They also urged vehicle owners to continue using “E20 petrol with confidence”, as it conforms to the prescribed quality specifications and “is backed by robust quality assurance and monitoring systems designed to safeguard consumer interests at every stage of the supply chain”.

India achieved 20% ethanol blending in petrol five years ahead of schedule. The ethanol-petrol blending programme dates back over two decades. The programme gathered pace over the past few years after the government made concerted efforts to ensure sufficient ethanol availability. Average blending rose from about 1.5% in ethanol supply year 2013-14 to 10% in 2021-22, and further to 20% in 2025-26.

According to the government, extensive laboratory studies and field trials conducted by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), SIAM, Indian Oil, Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) and automobile manufacturers covering parameters such as engine durability, drivability, startability, corrosion resistance, material compatibility, emissions and fuel efficiency confirmed that E20 is safe for use under prescribed standards.