📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Vyacheslav Argenberg
Business
Karnataka’s 30% Ethanol Blend Claim Sparks Dispute with Oil Marketing Companies
✍️ The Times of India
🗓 07 Nov 2026, 07:10 AM
👁 11
The Karnataka government announced a target of 30% ethanol in petrol, but major oil marketing companies have rejected the test results, calling the claim questionable.
The state government of Karnataka has publicly stated that it aims to achieve a 30% ethanol blend in petrol, a figure that would place the state among the leaders in renewable fuel usage in India. The announcement was made as part of the government's broader push to reduce carbon emissions and cut dependence on imported crude.
However, the country's leading oil marketing companies (OMCs) have pushed back, saying the laboratory test that purportedly proved the blend level was flawed. Representatives from the OMCs argued that the data did not meet industry standards and that the claimed percentage could not be reliably verified.
The disagreement has sparked a debate over the feasibility of the target and the methodology used to assess ethanol content. While Karnataka officials maintain that the figure reflects ongoing blending efforts, the OMCs have called for an independent audit before the claim can be accepted. The standoff may delay policy implementation until a consensus on testing protocols is reached.
However, the country's leading oil marketing companies (OMCs) have pushed back, saying the laboratory test that purportedly proved the blend level was flawed. Representatives from the OMCs argued that the data did not meet industry standards and that the claimed percentage could not be reliably verified.
The disagreement has sparked a debate over the feasibility of the target and the methodology used to assess ethanol content. While Karnataka officials maintain that the figure reflects ongoing blending efforts, the OMCs have called for an independent audit before the claim can be accepted. The standoff may delay policy implementation until a consensus on testing protocols is reached.