Oil companies challenge Karnataka's claim of excess ethanol in petrol
State-run firms question the testing procedures used by the Karnataka government to allege high ethanol levels in fuel.
State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) including Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) have challenged claims by the Karnataka government that petrol sold in the state contained 26-31 per cent ethanol, according to the Deccan Herald.
The Karnataka government, through Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology Minister Rizwan Arshad, alleged that petrol samples collected from areas including Bengaluru, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Mangaluru and Tumakuru exceeded the prescribed 20 per cent limit. The minister stated that tests by the Shriram Research Institute recorded levels as high as 31.2 per cent.
In a joint statement, the OMCs said the findings were not based on testing that followed prescribed statutory and technical procedures. They noted that the third-party laboratory certificates lacked the specific details required to independently confirm the reported ethanol levels.
The companies also raised concerns regarding the sampling process. They stated that while a September exercise followed proper protocols, the October sampling was conducted without their representatives present, and they have not received the necessary retention samples or laboratory reports to verify the results.
The OMCs further argued that the reported ethanol levels were inconsistent with density readings. They noted that because ethanol is denser than petrol, higher concentrations should typically increase the blend's density, whereas the certificates showed lower density readings.
The companies cited a nationwide quality-monitoring exercise involving the Centre for High Technology (CHT) where 893 E20 samples across 27 states were found to be within the 19-21 per cent range. They also questioned government estimates regarding potential mileage losses and vehicle repair costs.