Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), the state-run oil marketing company, has dismissed claims circulating on social media that ants gathering around vehicle fuel filler caps are linked to the use of E20 petrol. BPCL has stated that such assertions have no scientific basis.
In a clarification posted on social media platform X (previously Twitter), BPCL has said it had examined the claims and found no evidence supporting any connection between ethanol-blended petrol and ant attraction. “BPCL has examined the claims circulating on social media regarding ants congregating around vehicle fuel filler caps and their alleged association with E20 petrol,” the OMC said in its post.
Explaining the composition of fuel-grade ethanol, BPCL has stated that the ethanol used for blending with petrol undergoes processes that remove any residual sugars. “Fuel-grade ethanol used for petrol blending is produced through fermentation and distillation processes that eliminate residual sugars from the final product. Further, fuel ethanol contains denaturants, which are repellent to insects,” BPCL said.
The oil marketing company also rejected suggestions that the smell of ethanol could be attracting insects, noting that the odour of petrol remains dominant even after blending ethanol with it. “Upon blending, the characteristic hydrocarbon odour of petrol remains dominant over any inherent ethanol odour,” BPCL stated, while further saying that ethanol-blended petrol produces lower fuel vapour compared to conventional petrol, leaving no identifiable factor that could attract ants or any other insects to the fuel filler cap. “In addition, ethanol-blended petrol exhibits lower fuel vapour formation compared to conventional petrol. As a result, there is no identifiable attractant associated with E20 fuel that would cause ants or other insects to congregate around vehicle fuel caps,” the company said.
Based on these findings, BPCL has said the claims being circulated online are unfounded. “Therefore, claims suggesting a link between E20 fuel and ant attraction have no scientific basis,” the company said, while also adding that the claims being circulated on social media are baseless and are not supported by scientific evidence.
