State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Friday said an intensive nationwide testing drive has found no evidence to support recent claims of excessive chloride or moisture contamination in E20 petrol, reaffirming that the fuel supplied across the country remains well within prescribed quality standards.
The clarification follows media reports alleging the presence of moisture and chloride levels as high as 500 parts per million (ppm) in Ethanol Blended Motor Spirit (EBMS), commonly known as E20 petrol. OMCs said extensive random sampling and scientific testing across the entire fuel supply chain did not validate these claims.
According to the companies, fuel quality is monitored at multiple stages, from refineries and ethanol distilleries to depots, terminals and retail outlets, under a stringent quality assurance framework prescribed by the Government of India.
Refinery and ethanol tests
OMCs said more than 100 randomly selected petrol samples collected from refineries showed chloride levels of 1 ppm or lower, indicating that fuel dispatched from refineries consistently meets quality norms.
The companies also said a joint task force comprising OMCs and the Centre for High Technology (CHT) tested ethanol samples from 80 distilleries over the past 10 days. All samples recorded chloride content below 3 ppm, well within the prescribed specification.
Monitoring across supply chain
At depots and terminals, more than 80 E20 fuel samples collected nationwide also recorded chloride levels below 3 ppm. Under an intensified monitoring programme, over 1,000 retail outlet samples were collected, of which 160 test reports analysed so far showed chloride levels ranging from 0 to 3 ppm, contradicting claims of several hundred ppm.
OMCs said only four isolated instances of elevated chloride levels were detected during the surveillance. Fuel supplies at these locations were immediately suspended, followed by root-cause analysis and corrective action before operations resumed.
No water ingress detected
To further strengthen quality surveillance, OMCs said around 90,000 retail outlets have begun mandatory inspections of underground storage tanks, with water-ingress and density tests being conducted eight to twelve times every day.
The inspections have so far not detected any water ingress at retail outlets, the companies said, adding that mobile fuel quality testing laboratories have also been deployed and test results are independently validated through fuel laboratories.
OMCs reiterated that fuel quality remains their highest priority and assured consumers that E20 petrol sold through their retail network conforms to prescribed quality specifications. They urged consumers to continue using E20 fuel with confidence, stating that robust monitoring mechanisms are in place to safeguard fuel quality across the supply chain.