Oil Marketing Companies Consider Supplying E10 Fuel Alongside E20 Variant

State-owned oil marketing companies are evaluating the logistics and operational requirements of offering petrol blended with 10 percent ethanol at retail outlets parallel to the existing E20 fuel variant. Bharat Petroleum Corporation CMD Sanjay Khanna stated that while the proposal is under discussion, no final decision has been made yet.

State-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) in India are deliberating on the logistics associated with offering petrol blended with 10 per cent ethanol (E10) at retail outlets alongside the E20 fuel variant. The discussions follow a recent proposal by Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran, who suggested that restoring a lower-blend option at fuel pumps alongside E20 would help address public concerns.

Speaking at a post-Annual General Meeting media briefing, Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) Chairman and Managing Director Sanjay Khanna confirmed that the company is reviewing various aspects of supplying E10 fuel. However, he emphasized that no final decision has been reached.

When asked about the operational changes required to offer E10 at fuel bunks, Khanna noted that since OMCs have already established E20 infrastructure, transitioning or adding E10 would not present significant operational challenges. BPCL operates more than 25,480 retail outlets across the country as India's second-largest fuel retailer.

Monty Sehgal, national spokesperson for the Federation of All India Petroleum Traders, noted that OMCs could utilize existing infrastructure designed for premium fuels, such as 95-octane, to distribute E10 without needing to modify basic retail tanks. He explained that blending occurs at the depot level rather than at refineries, meaning retail tanks and delivery units would remain unaffected.

Khanna added that logistics related to fuel supply and the capability of retail outlets to handle an additional grade of petrol simultaneously are currently being evaluated. He noted that details regarding the implementation format and extent are still being worked out.

"The potential reintroduction of E10 fuel alongside E20 highlights the practical complexities of managing large-scale energy transitions at the retail level. For businesses and logistics providers operating within the energy ecosystem, adaptability to shifting fuel standards is critical. While existing infrastructure like premium fuel storage offers a viable workaround, OMCs must carefully weigh retail outlet capacity and consumer demand before finalizing operational rollouts." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes