India's E20 petrol quality confirmed after contamination tests

India's oil marketing companies – Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation – have rejected claims that E20 petrol contains excessive chloride or water. A large‑scale investigation sampled fuel from refineries, ethanol distilleries, depots, tank trucks and more than 1,000 retail pumps. Over 100 refinery samples showed chloride levels of 1 ppm or less; 80 ethanol samples and depot/terminal samples were all below 3 ppm. Among 160 recent pump samples, chloride ranged from 0 to 3 ppm, and no water contamination was detected. Only four locations recorded slightly higher chloride levels, prompting a temporary supply halt until corrective actions were taken. The government’s strict chloride limits for ethanol in fuel are continuously monitored, with mobile testing labs conducting 8–12 checks daily. Detailed results are posted on the Center for High Technology (CHT) website, and consumers are advised that E20 petrol meets all quality standards.