Amid allegations that petrol sold at some fuel stations in Karnataka contains more than the prescribed 20% ethanol, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has issued a clarification, stating that its testing data does not support the claims.
In a social media post on Friday, BPCL said reports suggesting that petrol at certain Karnataka outlets contained 26–31% ethanol were not based on the prescribed sampling procedure or testing methods laid down by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
The company said 893 petrol samples tested across 27 states and Union Territories were found to contain ethanol within the 19–21% range. Of these, 56 samples were collected from Karnataka, where the average ethanol content was recorded at 19.3%.
Clarification
on E20 petrol: claims of 26–31% ethanol at some Karnataka outlets are not based on prescribed testing. All 893 samples tested across 27 States & UTs, including 56 from Karnataka, were within the 19–21% range. Rely only on official sources.
BPCL, IOCL and HPCL have sought joint, transparent testing with the State Government. We remain committed to quality you can trust.
Please do not believe unverified claims. Rely only on official sources.
#BPCL #E20
@HardeepSPuri @PetroleumMin @Secretary_MoPNG— Bharat Petroleum (@BPCLimited) November 6, 2026
The clarification comes after Karnataka Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Rizwan Arshad alleged that laboratory tests had detected ethanol levels exceeding 20% in petrol samples collected from several districts. The state government reported readings as high as 31.2% in an Indian Oil sample and 30.5% in an HPCL sample. A BPCL Speed sample reportedly recorded 26.5%.
The Karnataka government said it had collected 63 samples from seven districts and sent them for testing. It also raised questions about reports from the in-house laboratories of some oil companies, alleging that they did not disclose the ethanol content.
Responding to the controversy, BPCL said ethanol blending is carried out through an automated and calibrated process at refineries and depots, rather than being done manually at petrol pumps. It added that quality checks are conducted to ensure the fuel meets the IS 17021 standard before reaching consumers.
The company also said BPCL, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have sought joint and transparent testing with the Karnataka government.
In its message to consumers, BPCL said: “Please do not believe unverified claims. Rely only on official sources.”
The dispute has brought renewed attention to India’s E20 programme, under which petrol is blended with up to 20% ethanol. The Karnataka government has sought clarification from the Centre and action against companies found supplying fuel with ethanol levels above the prescribed limit.
The two sides have presented different testing findings, and joint testing could help establish the ethanol content in the disputed samples.
