Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has issued an official clarification dismissing a viral social media claim that E20 petrol attracts ants, stating that the allegation has no scientific basis.

The clarification comes after a widely circulated video showed a cluster of ants around a car’s fuel filler cap, with social media users speculating that the insects were drawn to the ethanol-blended fuel inside the vehicle.

The video triggered discussions online, with some users linking the presence of ants to the 20 per cent ethanol content in E20 petrol.

No evidence linking E20 fuel to insects

In its statement, BPCL said there is no scientific evidence to support claims that E20 petrol attracts ants or other insects.

The company explained that fuel-grade ethanol undergoes fermentation and distillation processes that remove residual sugars from the final product. As a result, the ethanol blended into petrol does not contain substances that would attract insects.

BPCL also noted that fuel ethanol contains denaturants, which are generally considered repellent to insects.

Petrol smell remains dominant

According to the oil marketing company, once ethanol is blended with petrol, the dominant smell remains that of petrol’s hydrocarbon compounds rather than ethanol.

The company further stated that ethanol-blended petrol produces lower fuel vapour compared to conventional petrol and does not contain any known component that would attract ants to a vehicle’s fuel cap.

“Claims suggesting a link between E20 fuel and ant attraction have no scientific basis,” BPCL said, describing the social media allegations as baseless and unsupported by evidence.

Ethanol blending programme continues

The clarification comes as India continues expanding the use of ethanol-blended fuels to reduce dependence on imported crude oil and lower vehicle emissions.

E20 petrol consists of 20 per cent ethanol and 80 per cent conventional petrol. Ethanol is a biofuel commonly produced from agricultural feedstocks such as sugarcane and maize.

Government agencies and oil companies have been promoting ethanol blending as part of India’s broader energy security and sustainability goals