US Strategic Petroleum Reserve: 411 Million Barrels & Storage Sites
Current SPR Inventory
411 MMbbl
Million Barrels (as of Dec 2025)
Total Capacity
714 MMbbl
57.6% Currently Filled
Current Value
~$27 Billion
@ $65/barrel (Jan 2026)
Storage Sites
4 Locations
Texas & Louisiana Gulf Coast
🛢️ What is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve?
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is the world's largest supply of emergency crude oil, established by the U.S. government in 1975 following the 1973-1974 Arab oil embargo. The SPR stores crude oil in massive underground salt caverns along the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana, providing energy security for the United States and serving as a tool to manage supply disruptions and oil price volatility.
Current SPR Inventory & Capacity Utilization
SPR Fill Level - Current Status
Storage Distribution by Site (Current Inventory)
Storage Site Locations & Capacities
Bryan Mound
📍 Brazoria County, Texas
Location: 3 miles SW of Freeport, TX
Operational: Since 1986
Caverns: 19 storage caverns
Current Inventory: ~230 million barrels
Operational: Since 1986
Caverns: 19 storage caverns
Current Inventory: ~230 million barrels
Capacity: 247.1 million barrels (34.6% of total)
West Hackberry
📍 Cameron Parish, Louisiana
Location: 25 miles SW of Lake Charles, LA
Operational: Since 1988
Caverns: 21 storage caverns
Current Inventory: ~186 million barrels
Operational: Since 1988
Caverns: 21 storage caverns
Current Inventory: ~186 million barrels
Capacity: 220.4 million barrels (30.9% of total)
Big Hill
📍 Jefferson County, Texas
Location: 26 miles SW of Beaumont, TX
Operational: Since 1991
Caverns: 14 storage caverns
Current Inventory: ~144 million barrels
Operational: Since 1991
Caverns: 14 storage caverns
Current Inventory: ~144 million barrels
Capacity: 170.0 million barrels (23.8% of total)
Bayou Choctaw
📍 Iberville Parish, Louisiana
Location: 12 miles SW of Baton Rouge, LA
Operational: Since 1987
Caverns: 6 storage caverns
Current Inventory: ~71 million barrels
Operational: Since 1987
Caverns: 6 storage caverns
Current Inventory: ~71 million barrels
Capacity: 76.0 million barrels (10.6% of total)
Historical SPR Inventory Levels (1977-2026)
SPR Inventory Over Time
| Year | Inventory (MMbbl) | % of Capacity | Major Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 7.5 | 1.1% | SPR operations begin |
| 1990 | 585.7 | 82.0% | Pre-Gulf War release |
| 2000 | 540.7 | 75.7% | Post-Y2K stability |
| 2005 | 685.6 | 96.0% | Post-Hurricane Katrina release |
| 2009 | 726.6 | 101.8% | Peak inventory level (Dec 27) |
| 2011 | 696.0 | 97.5% | Libya crisis release |
| 2015 | 695.1 | 97.4% | Mandated sales begin |
| 2020 | 638.1 | 89.4% | COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | 621.4 | 87.0% | Pre-Ukraine war levels |
| 2022 | 371.6 | 52.0% | 180 MMbbl release ($96/bbl) |
| 2023 | 351.8 | 49.3% | 40-year low |
| 2024 | 393.6 | 55.1% | Beginning refill |
| 2025 | 411.0 | 57.6% | Continued refill (current) |
SPR Value Over Time
Total Value of SPR Inventory (Billions)
| Year | Inventory (MMbbl) | Oil Price ($/bbl) | Total Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 585.7 | $23.19 | $13.6 billion | Pre-Gulf War |
| 2000 | 540.7 | $28.26 | $15.3 billion | Dot-com era |
| 2008 | 707.2 | $91.48 | $64.7 billion | Peak value & near capacity |
| 2012 | 695.9 | $88.17 | $61.4 billion | High oil price era |
| 2016 | 695.1 | $42.81 | $29.8 billion | Oil price crash |
| 2020 | 638.1 | $39.16 | $25.0 billion | COVID-19 crash |
| 2022 | 371.6 | $95.02 | $35.3 billion | Ukraine war spike |
| 2023 | 351.8 | $77.58 | $27.3 billion | Lowest inventory |
| 2025 | 411.0 | $65.00 | $26.7 billion | Current (Jan 2026) |
Major SPR Releases & Emergency Actions
Largest SPR Releases in History
| Year | Event | Amount Released | Duration | Average Sale Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm) | 17.3 million barrels | 30 days | $21.43/bbl |
| 2005 | Hurricane Katrina | 11.0 million barrels | Emergency exchange | Loan/Exchange |
| 2011 | Libya Crisis | 30.6 million barrels | 30 days | $96.52/bbl |
| 2022 | Ukraine War / Russia Invasion | 180 million barrels | 180 days | $96.00/bbl |
| 2017-2025 | Congressionally Mandated Sales | 119 million barrels | Multi-year | Various |
📊 2022 Release Impact
- Largest Release Ever: 180 million barrels sold at average price of $96/barrel
- Revenue Generated: Approximately $17.2 billion in emergency sale proceeds
- Impact on Inventory: Reduced SPR from 621 MMbbl (87% full) to 372 MMbbl (52% full)
- Market Impact: Helped stabilize oil prices during Ukraine crisis
- 40-Year Low: Brought SPR to lowest level since 1983
SPR Refill Strategy (2025-2026)
🔄 Current Refill Initiative
- Goal: Fill SPR to full 714 million barrel capacity
- Current Status: 411 MMbbl (57.6% full) - need 303 MMbbl more
- Estimated Cost: $20-25 billion to refill completely (at $65-80/bbl)
- Purchase Strategy: Buy when oil prices are below $80/barrel
- Timeline: Multi-year refill process (2025-2028 estimated)
- 2025 Purchases: 32.3 million barrels bought back since 2023
- Political Priority: Trump administration declared SPR refill a Department-level priority (Feb 2025)
Refill Progress & Projected Capacity (2022-2028)
How SPR Storage Works
🏗️ Underground Salt Cavern Technology
- Storage Method: Crude oil stored in massive underground salt caverns carved from natural salt domes
- Depth: Caverns located 2,000-4,000 feet below the surface
- Cavern Size: Average 60 meters (200 feet) wide × 600 meters (2,000 feet) deep
- Individual Capacity: Each cavern holds 6-37 million barrels
- Total Caverns: 60 active storage caverns across 4 sites
- Creation Process: "Solution mining" - fresh water dissolves salt; 7 barrels of water needed per 1 barrel of storage
- Self-Healing: Salt walls naturally seal microcracks due to geologic pressure
- Natural Circulation: Temperature differential keeps oil quality consistent
- Environmental Safety: Salt is impermeable - prevents leaks and contamination
- Cost Efficiency: 10x cheaper than above-ground storage tanks
⚡ Distribution & Withdrawal Capabilities
- Maximum Drawdown: 4.4 million barrels per day
- Time to Empty: ~90 days at maximum withdrawal rate
- Connected Refineries: 30 refineries (24 Gulf Coast, 6 Midwest)
- Marine Terminals: 4 terminals with combined capacity of 2.6 MMbbl/day
- Distribution Method: Fresh water pumped in bottom displaces oil to surface (oil floats principle)
- Pipeline Network: Connected to commercial pipelines for rapid distribution
- Release Authority: President or Secretary of Energy
SPR Fast Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Established | 1975 - Energy Policy and Conservation Act signed by President Gerald Ford |
| Original Purpose | Emergency response to 1973-1974 Arab oil embargo |
| Management | U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response (CESER) |
| Operator | Fluor Federal Petroleum Operations (FFPO) - prime contractor |
| International Requirement | 90 days of import protection (IEA/IEP member obligation) |
| Current Import Coverage | ~125 days (as net oil exporter, no longer required to meet 90-day target) |
| Days of Consumption | ~20 days of total U.S. oil consumption (at 20.3 MMbbl/day) |
| Infrastructure Cost | ~$5 billion to build storage facilities |
| Oil Purchase Cost | ~$20.7 billion spent on crude oil acquisition (historical average $28.42/bbl) |
| Crude Oil Types | Both sweet (low sulfur) and sour (high sulfur) crude oil stored |
| World Ranking | Largest publicly known emergency oil supply in the world |
Official Data Sources:
• U.S. Department of Energy - Strategic Petroleum Reserve
• U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
• Congressional Research Service Reports
• Trading Economics - Oil Prices
Last Updated: January 2026 | Oil price data: WTI ~$62/bbl, Brent ~$67/bbl (average $65/bbl used for calculations)
Note: Inventory levels and prices are subject to daily fluctuations. Current data reflects most recent DOE reporting.
• U.S. Department of Energy - Strategic Petroleum Reserve
• U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
• Congressional Research Service Reports
• Trading Economics - Oil Prices
Last Updated: January 2026 | Oil price data: WTI ~$62/bbl, Brent ~$67/bbl (average $65/bbl used for calculations)
Note: Inventory levels and prices are subject to daily fluctuations. Current data reflects most recent DOE reporting.