Government clarifies on HPCL, BPCL, and Indian Oil: All 893 samples pass quality checks

Amidst allegations of excessive ethanol blending in petrol in Karnataka, the central government has issued a clarification. The Ministry of Petroleum has stated that samples from 27 states were tested, and no irregularities were found.

There has been significant controversy recently regarding E20 petrol in the country. Following reports of irregularities in petrol samples tested in Karnataka, the Ministry of Petroleum has clarified that the E20 petrol supplied by state-run oil companies adheres to established quality standards.

According to the Ministry, Indian Oil (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) collected and tested 893 petrol samples from 27 states and union territories across the country. In all these samples, the ethanol content was found to be within the prescribed limits.

Ministry issues statement

In response to the controversy, the Ministry of Petroleum issued a statement confirming that state-run oil companies tested 893 petrol samples nationwide. The ethanol content in these samples was found to be between 19% and 21%. Specifically, 56 samples were collected from Karnataka, all of which showed an ethanol content ranging from 19% to 20%, with an average of 19.30%. The Ministry noted that these findings differ from the claims made by the Karnataka government, which had alleged that higher-than-permitted levels of ethanol were found at certain petrol pumps.

Discrepancy between government and oil company claims

In October 2026, the Karnataka government conducted tests on samples collected from several petrol pumps. The state government claimed that some of these samples contained ethanol levels ranging from 26% to 31%. Following this, state-owned oil companies raised questions regarding the testing methodology.

The companies state that their representatives were not present when the samples were collected. Furthermore, they did not receive the complete test report or duplicate copies of the samples. The oil companies have requested a re-examination, to be conducted in coordination with the state government, so that the true situation can be determined.

Could E20 reduce mileage?

Vehicle owners are also concerned that E20 petrol might lead to lower mileage and potential engine damage. According to the Ministry of Petroleum, the impact depends on the vehicle model and the design of its engine. Information provided by the Ministry indicates that for vehicles designed for E20 fuel, mileage could decrease by approximately 1% to 2%. For other vehicles, the reduction could range from 3% to 6%. However, the claim that all vehicles would experience a uniform 10% drop in mileage is not scientifically substantiated.