Petrol pumps to check tanks for water ‘every 2-8 hours’: Officials | India News

State-run oil marketing companies (OMCs) have decided that the over 93,000 petrol pumps nationwide will need to check their storage tanks and fuel dispensing nozzles for water every two to eight hours depending on shifts and weather conditions, to protect the quality of 20% ethanol-blended petrol (E20), persons aware of the matter said.The first such order passing on the decision for more frequent testing was issued in July, and another more recently in late October by one of the OMCs, according to people aware of the matter. The other two OMCs may follow suit, they added. It comes at a time when rains have lashed certain parts of the country.Multiple OMCs implement checking normsMost retail outlets (ROs) of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) carry out these mandatory checks every two to four hours, the people cited above said, asking not to be named. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) pumps have, however, reduced the frequency of testing to every eight hours.BPCL recently reduced the frequency to every eight hours, they said, citing a company letter to dealers dated October 23. The letter carries a revised standard operating procedure (SOP) for ethanol-blended motor spirit (EBMS). Motor spirit, or MS, is the industry term for petrol. HT has reviewed a copy.“Further to the SOP issued earlier for handling of EBMS, it is advised that the frequency of water/appearance checks for EBMS tanks/nozzles be revised to once every 8 hours, with a minimum of three checks for ROs operating 24 hours and two checks for ROs operating less than 24 hours,” the letter said.Several IOC and HPCL dealers said they expect their companies to reduce testing frequency soon as well, because the three OMCs work in tandem. The dealers asked not to be named, fearing reprisals.Experts said frequent testing with an alcohol-resistant water-finding paste is essential because ethanol is highly hygroscopic: it readily absorbs water from its surroundings. When E20 comes into contact with water, the ethanol separates from the petrol and forms a distinct water-ethanol layer at the bottom of the tank. This is called phase separation.Dealers said the OMCs asked them to follow the SOP to prevent water contamination and phase separation. The companies did not prescribe any particular alcohol-resistant water-finding paste for the tests. “Dealers often buy any alcohol-resistant water-finding paste available online for testing water ingress in E20,” one of them said.IOC, BPCL, HPCL and the petroleum ministry did not respond to emailed queries. On August 7, IOC, the country’s largest fuel retailer, said on behalf of the three OMCs: “About 90,000 ROs have commenced mandatory inspection and monitoring of underground storage tanks. The underground tanks at ROs are being inspected 8-12 times every day and have not revealed any water ingress so far.”Collective responsibilityThe Marketing Discipline Guidelines (MDG), issued by the three OMCs, hold both OMCs and dealers responsible for selling contaminated fuel. “It is the responsibility of the oil companies to market ethanol to be blended correctly as per the Govt. guidelines. It is also the responsibility of the dealer to ensure that the right quality of ethanol blended product is sold in the market,” the MDG says on EBMS.“The locations undertaking blending of Ethanol in MS [petrol] shall blend the Ethanol as per the prescribed limits. The presence of Ethanol shall be checked by the locations before release of the product,” it says.As on April 1, 2026, the three OMCs operated 93,239 petrol pumps. IOC is the largest retailer with 42,818, followed by BPCL (25,323) and HPCL (25,098). Private companies ran 9,784 pumps, according to the latest government data.Ethanol blending in petrol rose from 14.6% in ethanol supply year (ESY) 2023-24 (November 2023-October 2024) to 19.2% in ESY 2024-25 (November 2024-October 2025), according to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, the oil ministry’s data arm. It reached 20% in November 2025-March 2026, the first five months of ESY 2025-26.