HPCL Completes Nationwide Fuel Quality Checks

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) on Tuesday completed a nationwide fuel quality surveillance exercise across its retail fuel network, reporting no cases of adulteration, contamination or major quality deviations in ethanol-blended petrol during the inspection campaign.

The checks come amid increased public scrutiny of ethanol-blended fuels following recent discussions around higher ethanol blends and their compatibility with vehicles. 

The state-owned oil marketing company said the nationwide audit was undertaken in the past two weeks to verify compliance with fuel quality standards and monitor ethanol blending across its network of retail outlets.

According to HPCL, its field teams conducted 2,173 unannounced inspections at fuel stations between July 7 and July 13, 2026, to assess compliance with prescribed ethanol blending norms. These checks were carried out in addition to 1,385 routine inspections undertaken between July 3 and July 13 as part of the company's regular quality monitoring programme.

Also read: FADA Launches Nationwide Campaign to Reassure Consumers on E20 Petrol Safety

HPCL said the inspection cycle concluded without any reported incidents of fuel adulteration, contamination or other critical quality-related issues.

As part of the surveillance exercise, HPCL's Quality Assurance Cell also carried out 93 targeted surprise inspections aimed at detecting fuel quality violations. Technical teams further deployed mobile laboratories to conduct on-site analysis of 49 fuel samples collected from retail outlets.

The company added the inspection programme forms part of its ongoing efforts to maintain fuel quality standards as the use of ethanol-blended petrol expands across the country.

India has already rolled out E20 petrol nationwide as part of its strategy to reduce crude oil imports, lower emissions and promote the use of domestically produced biofuels.