Pump dealers seek SOP and tools for ethanol-blended petrol testing

Petrol pump dealers are demanding a standard operating procedure (SOP) and equipment to ascertain the quality of ethanol-blended petrol (EBP) sold at over 100,000 pumps across the country after the government directed states to take action against dealers for selling non-compliant EBP.The government has clarified that this is not the case, but the fact is, only vehicles manufactured after 2023 are compliant with the 20% ethanol blended petrol currently being sold. (File Photo/AP)At least a dozen dealers from across the country told HT that the stringent marketing discipline guidelines (MDG) currently in force do ask them to check fuel quality coming from depots before storing petroleum products such as petrol and diesel for retail sale.Also Read | Govt says E25 only being tested for now: All your questions on ethanol-blended fuel answered“But we have resources only to check density. We have no clue about the exact percentage of doping of fuel,” said Monty Sehgal, spokesperson, Petrol Pump Dealers Association, Punjab.“The government’s July 8 order could lead to harassment of dealers. Why are private players exempted in this order? We as dealers, sell what we are supplied from (state-owned) OMCs (oil marketing companies or refiners)...We don’t have any equipment to check the quantity and quality of ethanol being blended at supply locations,” he said.He was referring to the petroleum ministry’s July 8 order issued to chief secretaries of all states that directed state governments “to ensure close coordination among the concerned departments, enforcement agencies, oil marketing companies (OMCs), and testing laboratories to facilitate timely detection and prevention of adulteration” of petroleum products. HT has reviewed a copy of the official letter.The move comes amidst complaints of EBP damaging engines. The government has clarified that this is not the case, but fact is, only vehicles manufactured after 2023 are compliant with the 20% ethanol blended petrol currently being sold. The government has also clarified that it is not possible to sell 5% and 10% blends, citing logistical challenges.Uttar Pradesh-based dealer Hemant Sirohi, who is a member of the Empowering Petroleum Dealers Foundation (EPDF), said dealers are exposed to “unnecessary harassment and rent-seeking by unscrupulous officers without proper SOP, equipment and scientific guidelines”.Also Read | Ethanol blending in fuel: What Brazil does, and where other countries standHT’s email query on this matter sent to the petroleum ministry and the three state-run OMCs, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) elicited no response.In the July 8 letter, the petroleum ministry directed chief secretaries to direct district magistrates, collectors and enforcement agencies such as civil supplies, police and legal metrology departments to conduct coordinated inspections, sampling and surprise checks.Several individual dealers from Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu also expressed concerns, but most of them requested anonymity because of reprisal by their respective OMCs.Also Read | Real markers of success for ethanol blending: What it entails, why and how much it costsA Vijayawada-based dealer, GS Rao, who is also the president of Andhra Pradesh Indian Oil Dealers Association, said there is no SOP or directions by OMCs to petrol pumps on ethanol content check in EBP. BIS has not yet published any manual or standards for the same.Executives of OMCs said on condition of anonymity that they have intensified quality control efforts.