Following a media report that said the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) had raised concerns with the government over contamination in E20 petrol, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has come out with a statement saying fuel quality is being monitored regularly by state-run oil marketing companies (OMCs).
A CNBC-TV18 report today said SIAM had written to the ministry, citing high chloride and moisture contamination in E20 fuel. The industry body reportedly said its members had observed a "huge increase" in the replacement of components including fuel injectors, fuel pumps, exhaust gas recirculation valves, exhaust components and other parts that come into direct contact with fuel or engine emissions.
Responding to the report, the ministry said existing fuel quality monitoring mechanisms have been strengthened with additional checks across the country. "Certain media reports have cited issues of fuel adulteration or contamination. It is hereby clarified that fuel quality is monitored on a regular basis by Oil Marketing Companies," the ministry said on social media platforms.
It said OMCs have put in place "advanced and elaborate testing protocols" and have introduced additional measures, including water ingress testing conducted eight to 12 times a day at more than 87,000 retail outlets.
The ministry said more than 2,000 fuel samples have also been tested for chloride and sulphide contamination. "Only 2 cases of chloride contamination have been found in the entire country till now and sales from those pumps were suspended immediately," it said.
The ministry said strict action would be taken if contamination or fuel adulteration is detected at any retail outlet. "Strict action will be taken in case any contamination or adulteration is found in any retail outlet," it said. The statement added that OMCs have been directed to take proactive measures to detect any possible contamination across the fuel supply chain.
The ministry also highlighted the quality assurance measures followed across the ethanol supply chain. It said every batch of ethanol is tested before dispatch and must comply with BIS IS 15464 specifications, including a minimum purity of 99.6%. Every dispatch is accompanied by a certified quality report, while dedicated storage infrastructure is used to prevent contamination before blending with petrol.
According to the ministry, quality checks continue throughout the supply chain. Every ethanol tanker is sampled from both the top and bottom before being accepted, and fuel quality is monitored regularly to ensure consistency. It said 302 tank trucks carrying nearly 10,500 kilolitres of ethanol were rejected between July 2024 and June 2026 after failing to meet quality standards, underscoring that consignments not meeting prescribed specifications are prevented from entering the fuel distribution network.
The clarification comes amid concerns raised by the automobile industry over the quality of E20 fuel, which contains 20% ethanol blended with petrol. The government has been promoting higher ethanol blending as part of its strategy to reduce crude oil imports and cut emissions, while vehicle manufacturers have been introducing E20-compatible models in line with the rollout of the blended fuel.