Petroleum Ministry Affirms E20 Petrol Quality as 893 Samples Across 27 States and UTs Meet Prescribed Standards

Key facts

• The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that E20 petrol supplied by public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) conforms to prescribed quality standards, rejecting claims that fuel sold at certain Karnataka retail outlets contained 26-31 per cent ethanol.
• Under the OMC/Centre for High Technology Quality Coordination Cell exercise, 893 E20 samples from depots and retail outlets across 27 states and Union Territories were tested per IS 17021, Annex C, and all recorded ethanol content within the prescribed 19-21 per cent range.
• Of the 893 samples, 330 were from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), 280 from Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and 283 from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL).
• In Karnataka, all 56 samples tested across the three OMCs met specifications, recording ethanol content between 19 per cent and 20 per cent with an average of 19.30 per cent.
• The OMCs questioned the October 2026 Karnataka sampling exercise, stating samples were drawn without OMC participation and that certificates lacked details required under IS 17021:2018 (Amendment No. 3, August 2025) methods such as FTIR under ASTM D5845 or Gas Chromatography under ASTM D4815/D6839.
• The OMCs also questioned density readings of 0.742-0.749 g/cc in the certificates, lower than the 0.752-0.760 g/cc recorded in E20 samples under their QCC-1 and QCC-2 surveys, since higher ethanol content should increase blend density.
• The ministry rejected claims of Rs 62,000 crore annual consumer mileage losses and Rs 39,000 crore vehicle repair costs, citing its August 12, 2025 PIB response that E20-calibrated vehicles may see 1-2 per cent mileage reduction and certain other vehicles 3-6 per cent.
• Since Ethanol Supply Year 2014-15, the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme has yielded foreign exchange savings of over Rs 1.97 lakh crore, substitution of about 316 lakh metric tonnes of crude oil, reduction of around 952 lakh metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and transfer of over Rs 1.66 lakh crore to farmers.
• During ESY 2025-26 ending October 31, 2026, public sector OMCs procured 1,089 crore litres of ethanol and blended 1,134 crore litres against petrol sales of approximately 5,673 crore litres.