You’ll Know When to Worry About the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve currently holds approximately 371 million barrels of crude oil as of early 2026, according to Department of Energy data. The reserve has declined from peak levels of over 700 million barrels in 2016 following sales authorized under the Biden administration to address high gasoline prices. The DOE has not announced a minimum threshold below which it would halt further withdrawals, though past administrations have maintained operational reserves of around 300 million barrels for national security purposes.

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