CAIRO: The Ministry of Petroleum said that the gasoline Egypt recently imported from the United Arab Emirates has a pungent odor, denying recent rumors that car gasoline is being mixed with alcohol or methanol. People have recently complained about a strong smell at various gas stations. Rumors then spread that the unpleasant odor was a result of the government adding chemicals to gasoline. "The smell of the gasoline is at almost every gas station I go to. [It] is just horrible. I do not know what the reason is. They say it may be blended with methanol to improve the quality. I am afraid it may ruin my car, Ashraf Abdo, a car owner who was filling up his tank at a local gas station told Daily News Egypt But according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Petroleum, Ahmed Abdallah, vice president of the authority for oil operations, said that the imported gasoline from the UAE is characterized by a high amount of olivine substances which results in such an odor. He assured that the gasoline is safe and does not pose health hazards or have harmful effects on the environment. The amount of olivine in the gasoline is less than the amounts stated in European specifications, which confirms its safety and quality. Abdallah also explained that methanol cannot be added to gasoline because it costs more than the gasoline itself, clarifying that Egyptian gasoline does not have any additives to improve its quality. However Mohsen Abdel Rahim, another driver, told Daily News Egypt that he does not believe what is being said about the imported shipment from the UAE, adding that the "government is cheating [customers] in the quality and quantity of gasoline. "Who said we imported gasoline from the UAE? This is illogical, we have our efficient supply of gasoline and we do not need to import from abroad. The smell is spreading in all gas stations, he complained. Ayman Selim, manager of a Misr Petroleum gas station in Cairo, told Daily News Egypt that the stronger the odor of the gasoline, the better the quality. "It is known that gasoline in the Gulf countries like the UAE is thicker than in Egypt. It is also recognizable by its strong smell. When people got worried about it, the workers in our gas station responded by telling them it is just a safer type of gasoline, said Selim. He added that managers of gas stations in Egypt cannot know where the gasoline is coming from because they receive their supply in closed tanks from certain companies. "We have no idea where the gasoline is coming from. We know it comes from a certain company to the gas station, but do not know where the company got the gasoline, said Selim. Abdallah asserted that the gasoline in Egypt meets the criteria set by the Egyptian authority for quality and specifications. Supervisory entities and the Ministry of Social Solidarity constantly test gasoline samples from gas stations all over the country to ensure quality and validity.
