Overview
- The petroleum ministry held preliminary talks Thursday with state oil companies about offering Octane 95‑brand petrol in an E10 formulation as a way to give motorists a lower‑ethanol option.
- Motorists and consumer groups have complained that E20 can reduce mileage and may harm older engines, and Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran urged restoring E10 to calm public concern.
- Fuel‑station estimates show Octane 95 sales have risen to about 15% of OMC petrol sales from roughly 4% in March as drivers shift away from regular E20 petrol.
- The ministry has previously warned that retailing multiple base blends—pure petrol, E10 and E20—across the national supply chain would create large logistical and cost challenges.
- Officials and OMCs are still assessing demand, pricing and whether E10 would be offered as a premium or regular product, and no final decision or rollout plan has been announced.