OMCs began rigorous testing for E20 fuel contamination at pumps from Mid-July: Oil Minister

Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri assured the public that rigorous testing of E20 fuel began at retail outlets from mid-July to address concerns about potential contamination. Speaking at the CII’s International Energy Conference and Exhibition, Puri revealed that only four cases of contamination were found out of the 107,000 retail outlets serving around 7 crore customers daily.

The Ministry's rapid response to two weeks of concerns flagged by SIAM in their July 28th letter involved forming crack teams to collect 2,000 samples per day from each outlet. Puri dismissed accusations of controversy surrounding E20 fuel, emphasizing India's commitment to exploring its offshore deepwater and ultra-deep waters for hydrocarbons.

He highlighted the ongoing Samudra Manthan, or National Offshore Exploration Scheme, which aims to encourage private players to enter the domestic E&P sector. Puri also noted that India maintained uninterrupted fuel supplies during the West Asia conflict, with no stations going dry despite disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. He reiterated that all 107,000 retail outlets remained operational, serving their millions of daily consumers.