Anantapur: OMCs told to create awareness on blending of ethanol with petrol

Anantapur: Does your vehicle break down frequently, especially after servicing? After complaints from angry customers, petroleum dealers have claimed that improper blending of ethanol with petrol by oil marketing companies (OMCs) is causing problems for vehicle users.

The ABCD (Association of Bharath Petrol Corporation Dealers) said ethanol absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and when it encounters the water in petrol tanks, it forms a distinct layer and settles at the bottom. This leads to the vehicles stalling or facing difficulty while starting. Federation of Residential Welfare Association chief Dr M Suresh Babu said, "Two layers of petrol and ethanol are visible in ethanol-blended petrol." Stating this happens largely after monsoon or servicing when water has entered the fuel tank, he demanded that the OMCs launch an awareness campaign for the customers.

He added that after vehicles were detected with problems, customers blamed petrol pump owners for adulterating petrol with water, even when the two were unmixable.

Dr M Virupakshi Reddy of the Petrol Dealers Association said condensation in petrol tanks and water ingress led to these issues. "Earlier, water would only settle at the bottom of the tank, but it is now reacting with ethanol, leading to vehicles stalling. This can be dangerous on highways," he added.