OMCs Reject Claims of High Chloride, Moisture in E20 Petrol After Nationwide Tests
New Delhi, Aug. 7 (TNT): Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) on Friday said extensive nationwide testing has found no evidence to support claims of high chloride levels or moisture contamination in E20 (ethanol-blended) petrol, asserting that fuel quality remains well within prescribed standards.
The clarification follows recent media reports alleging the presence of moisture and chloride in E20 petrol.
In a release, OMCs said they conducted intensive testing across the entire supply chain and found no cause for concern regarding fuel contamination.
According to the companies, more than 100 random petrol samples collected from refineries showed chloride levels of 1 ppm or below, well within the prescribed limits.
OMCs also said a joint task force comprising officials of the oil companies and the Centre for High Technology (CHT) tested ethanol samples from 80 distilleries over the past 10 days, with all samples recording chloride content below 3 ppm.
More than 80 samples collected from depots and terminals across the country also recorded chloride levels below 3 ppm, while analysis of 160 retail outlet samples under an intensified monitoring programme found chloride levels ranging between 0 and 3 ppm, contradicting claims of concentrations running into several hundred ppm.
The surveillance programme detected only four isolated instances of elevated chloride levels, following which supplies from the affected outlets were immediately suspended.
OMCs said corrective measures were implemented after detailed root-cause analysis before restoring supplies.
The companies said nearly 90,000 retail outlets have begun mandatory inspections of underground storage tanks, with water-ingress tests conducted 8 to 12 times daily, adding that no water ingress has been detected so far.
OMCs reiterated that fuel quality remains their highest priority and advised consumers to continue using E20 petrol with confidence, stating that fuel supplied through their retail network conforms to prescribed quality standards and is backed by a robust quality assurance and monitoring system.
TNT TS
