Oil companies challenge Karnataka's claims of excess ethanol in petrol
State-run oil marketing companies have questioned the testing methodology used by the Karnataka government to allege high ethanol levels.
State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs), including Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), have rejected claims by the Karnataka government that petrol in the state contained up to 31 per cent ethanol, according to reports by Deccan Herald, Rediff and The New Indian Express.
The dispute follows a testing exercise in October 2026 by the Karnataka Department of Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology. Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad stated that the allegations were based on samples from Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru.
The OMCs issued a joint statement saying the findings were not supported by tests following prescribed statutory and technical procedures. They noted that E20 petrol supplied across their networks meets Bureau of Indian Standards IS 17021 specifications, which require ethanol content to be between 19-21 per cent.
The companies alleged that the October sampling was conducted without their representatives and that they have not received retention samples or laboratory reports. They also questioned third-party laboratory certificates for failing to disclose specific testing details, such as the dilution procedure or reference material used in gas chromatography.
The OMCs further disputed estimates suggesting that E20 fuel could cause Rs 62,000 crore in annual mileage losses and Rs 39,000 crore in vehicle repair costs. They stated that a nationwide quality-monitoring exercise involving 893 samples across 27 states found all E20 samples to be within the prescribed limits, including 56 samples from Karnataka.