Only 4 cases of ethanol contamination reported so far, says Hardeep Puri

Of 2,000 fuel samples collected each day, only 4 cases of fuel contamination have been reported so far, oil minister Hardeep Singh Puri noted

Some people may be trying to stir up a controversy around ethanol-blended E20 petrol, but just a few cases of E20 fuel contamination have been reported across the country’s 1.07 lakh petrol pumps based on daily testing of 2,000 samples done by oil marketing companies (OMCs), Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Puri said on Friday.

 

“Our biofuel blending programme is doing exceptionally well… Every day, six to seven crore customers go to petrol pumps. If there is contamination, the contamination can take place in anything. Contamination can take place in the food you eat, in the air you breathe. It can take place in kerosene. It can take place in diesel,” the minister said at an event organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

 

Of 2,000 fuel samples collected each day, only four cases of contamination have been reported so far, he said. “So, obviously, someone out there is trying to place things out of context,” Puri stated, adding that OMCs would be issuing a detailed press release, indicating the amount of testing they have done.

 

In a joint statement issued later, the three state-run OMCs — Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) — which operate over 90 per cent of the country’s retail outlets, said chloride monitoring is being done at multiple points of the supply chain nationwide, from refineries and distilleries to depots, terminals, and retail outlets.

 

Quality is being consistently maintained throughout the supply chain, they said, adding: “The findings reaffirm that fuel quality remains consistently well within prescribed limits. Contrary to certain assertions being made, there is no evidence of any alarm on account of fuel contamination validated by extensive and scientifically designed tests.”

 

Ethanol blending with petrol is being widely criticised by customers over concerns that some vehicles, particularly older models, could face faster component wear, lower fuel efficiency, and higher maintenance costs. This was because they were not designed for E20.

 

Meanwhile, the Centre has ruled out selling pure petrol or E10 alongside E20, but acknowledged that the fuel reduces vehicle mileage by 3-5 per cent compared with conventional petrol.

 

Commenting on energy supply disruptions triggered by the West Asia crisis, Puri said India successfully navigated the challenging period ensuring energy availability for consumers. This could be achieved on the back of the country’s robust refining capacity, he added.

 

“As far as India is concerned, we are in a happy situation today. We have been largely able to diversify our supplies. We built resilient infrastructure. We have trusted partnerships. We have technological innovation. We have reserves; they could perhaps be even more. Our holding capacity (for crude oil and products) is about 74 days plus. We have alternative fuels, and above all, we have the ability to protect our citizens from external shocks,” said Puri.

 

Despite supply-chain disruption due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Puri emphasised that no fuel retail outlet ran dry in the country even at the peak of the conflict. Supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is primarily used as cooking gas in the country, had become worrisome temporarily, but domestic refiners ramped up production to bridge the gap, he added.

 

“Our schools remained open, factories continued production, and transport kept moving. Economic activity, in short, continued uninterrupted,” said Puri.

 

The minister also applauded the government’s initiative to support oil and gas exploration to boost domestic production. Under the Samudra Manthan programme, the government has provided fiscal support of $9-10 billion for deepwater exploration in the country, he added.