Oil Companies Dispute Karnataka's E20 Petrol Claims, Cite Tests Showing Compliance

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have disputed the Karnataka government's claim that petrol sold at certain outlets in the state contains 26–31% ethanol, saying their own tests found all samples within the prescribed specifications.

In a statement issued on November 6, the three public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) said 893 samples collected from 27 states and Union Territories, including 56 from Karnataka, complied with the Bureau of Indian Standards' IS 17021 specification for ethanol-blended petrol.

The companies said the samples tested under the OMC-Centre for High Technology (CHT) Quality Coordination Cell exercise contained between 19% and 21% ethanol. The 56 Karnataka samples recorded levels between 19% and 20%, with an average of 19.30%.

The response follows a press release by Karnataka's Department of Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs and Legal Metrology, which claimed that petrol samples collected from certain retail outlets contained 26–31% ethanol.

OMCs Question Karnataka's Testing Procedure

The three companies questioned the sampling and testing procedures adopted during an exercise conducted in October 2026. They said the prescribed procedure under the Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel (Regulation of Supply, Distribution and Prevention of Malpractices) Order, 2005, and the Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG) 2024, requires six one-litre samples to be drawn and distributed among the dealer, oil company or department, and a designated laboratory.

According to the OMCs, the October exercise involved samples collected without their representatives. They also said they had not received retention samples, complete outlet-wise details or laboratory reports despite seeking them through the State Level Coordinator.

The companies further questioned certificates issued by a third-party laboratory, saying these mentioned ethanol testing through Gas Chromatography but did not specify the applicable standard method, dilution procedure or reference material used.

They said these omissions prevented independent verification of the reported ethanol levels.

The OMCs said IS 17021:2018, amended in August 2025, prescribes specific methods for determining ethanol content, including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, water extraction and Gas Chromatography.

They also flagged discrepancies in the density readings mentioned in the Karnataka certificates. The reported samples had densities ranging from 0.742 to 0.749 g/cc, compared with 0.752–0.760 g/cc in E20 samples tested by the OMCs. The companies said the difference warranted further examination, as ethanol has a higher density than petrol.

OMCs Reject Claims Of Consumer Losses

The companies also questioned estimates cited in the Karnataka debate of ₹62,000 crore in annual consumer mileage losses and ₹39,000 crore in vehicle repair costs, taking the combined figure to around ₹1.01 lakh crore.

They said the estimates required scientific assessment and could not be based on a blanket assumption of 10% mileage loss across the country's vehicle population.

Citing studies involving the Inter-Ministerial Committee, IOCL, the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the OMCs said vehicles calibrated for E20 could experience a mileage reduction of around 1–2%, while certain other vehicles could see reductions of 3–6%, depending on their category and calibration.

The companies also said ethanol blending was carried out through calibrated and automated systems at refineries and depots, with established quality-control procedures.

Ethanol Blending Programme And Benefits

The OMCs highlighted the economic and environmental benefits of the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme, saying it had generated foreign exchange savings of more than ₹1.97 lakh crore since the 2014-15 ethanol supply year. It had also helped substitute approximately 316 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil, reduce around 952 lakh metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and transfer more than ₹1.66 lakh crore to farmers, according to the Petroleum Ministry.

During the 2025-26 ethanol supply year, which ended on October 31, the three companies procured 1,089 crore litres of ethanol and blended 1,134 crore litres against petrol sales of approximately 5,673 crore litres.

The companies said they had sought complete sampling records, outlet-wise laboratory reports and details of the testing methodology from the Karnataka government. They also requested access to counterpart samples for independent testing at an authorised laboratory in the presence of state government and OMC representatives.

The three companies said they remained willing to cooperate with the state government in conducting joint sampling and testing under the prescribed procedures.