The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve, created in 1975 after the Arab oil embargo, currently holds around 290 million barrels, less than half of its 700-million-barrel capacity and its lowest level since 1983. Stored in 61 salt caverns along the Gulf Coast, the reserve was significantly drawn down following the Russia-Ukraine war and this year’s Strait of Hormuz closure. A recent Government Accountability Office report warned that ageing infrastructure could hinder future emergency releases, with about a quarter of the reserve currently unavailable for drawdown. The Energy Department has allocated $1.4 billion for repairs, but officials say full restoration could take up to seven years.
Al Jazeera’s Eva McKend reports from Washington, DC.
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