The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) has said that nationwide testing carried out by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) across the Ethanol Blended Motor Spirit (EBMS) supply chain has confirmed that E20 petrol quality remains well within prescribed standards, addressing recent media reports regarding moisture and chloride levels.
According to the ministry, the additional intensive testing covered the entire EBMS supply chain and reaffirmed that fuel quality is consistently maintained within the specified limits. It said the findings, based on extensive random sampling and scientifically designed tests, found no evidence to support concerns over fuel contamination.
"OMCs would like to reassure all our esteemed customers that we treat fuel quality as a matter of highest priority and any issue that could potentially affect vehicle performance or consumer confidence is addressed promptly through scientific investigation and corrective action," the ministry said.
MoPNG stated that the government has prescribed stringent chloride specifications for ethanol used in petrol blending and established a high-frequency monitoring mechanism across the supply chain. Chloride levels are monitored at refineries, distilleries, depots, terminals and retail outlets to ensure compliance with quality standards.
The ministry added that OMCs have further strengthened surveillance by conducting water-ingress and density tests between eight and twelve times daily at every retail outlet. Mobile fuel quality testing laboratories have also been deployed, while fuel samples are independently validated through accredited laboratories to maintain quality assurance.
The clarification comes amid heightened public attention on the quality of E20 fuel as India continues to expand the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme to reduce crude oil imports and strengthen energy security.
