Several members of the Egyptian Parliament attacked the government over complaints about the circulation of adulterated octane at gas stations, causing sudden breakdowns in some cars.
They called for formation of an investigation committee to determine the causes of the crisis and hold those involved accountable. The Ministry of Petroleum confirmed that the gasoline undergoes rigorous periodic inspections and meets standard specifications.
A member of Parliament for the Egyptian Democratic Party, Maha Abdel-Nasser, said, “We have all observed, over the past few days, a noticeable increase in citizen complaints about sudden breakdowns in their cars, after filling up at various gas stations.”
Abdel-Nasser noted that “Many car owners confirmed that these malfunctions appeared after using octane available at some stations. Although the Ministry of Petroleum denies the presence of adulterated octane at gas stations, the reality on the ground indicates a real problem that requires urgent intervention.”
She called on the government to form a joint investigation committee comprising relevant authorities, including the Ministries of Petroleum, and Supply, and the Consumer Protection Agency, to determine the truth about what is happening at gas stations and to study citizen complaints.
Abdel-Nasser also called for tightening the oversight of gas stations, conducting periodic tests on samples taken from various stations, and publishing the results of these tests transparently to the public.
She called to take strict legal action against stations proven to be involved in the sale of adulterated octane, including closing the station and referring those responsible to the Public Prosecution.
Abdel-Nasser demanded that fuel distribution companies be required to provide quality certificates with every fuel shipment arriving at stations, and for these certificates to be periodically verified.
Member of Parliament Fatma Selim submitted a request for a briefing regarding what she described as a “growing wave of concern” among citizens as a result of complaints and allegations about the spread of adulterated or poor-quality gasoline in the markets.
She called for an immediate, independent, and transparent investigation.
Minsters respond
Minister of Supply Sherif Farouk ordered the ministry’s oversight agencies in a statement on Tuesday, to coordinate fully with the supply directorates in the governorates to conduct daily and surprise inspections of gas stations and butane gas depots.
The Ministry of Petroleum confirmed that all petroleum products, including locally marketed octane, are subject to strict periodic inspections and inspections at all stages of production and distribution to ensure their compliance with Egyptian standard specifications.
The Former Minister of Petroleum Osama Kamal stated that it is impossible to mix octane with water under any circumstances. He stressed that international marketing companies cannot sacrifice their name or reputation, and therefore the possibility of tampering with product quality is unlikely.
The head of the Petroleum Products Division of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, Hassan Nasr, denied reports of adulterated gasoline.
He confirmed that no complaints on the matter have been received, adding that he met with three petroleum companies and none of them had detected any cases of tampering or adulteration in gasoline.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
