Strategic Petroleum Reserve
The U.S. government's emergency crude stockpile, held in salt caverns along the Gulf Coast. Created 1975, first fill 1977. Drawdowns 2022 to 2023 took it to its lowest reading since the early 1980s.
The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve holds 311.4M bbl of crude oil as of the week ending July 17, 2026, down 1.6% week over week. It is currently draining faster than usual.
The SPR is the U.S. government's emergency crude stockpile, held in salt caverns along the Gulf Coast. Today's level is 57.1% below the all-time high of 726.6M bbl, set in 2010.
The SPR is draining faster than usual. We watch it weekly.
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Over the past ~13 weeks it has drained down faster than usual, among the quickest 3% of stretches like it on record. That pace is easing off.
Strategic Petroleum Reserve — weekly stocks
July 30, 2021 → July 17, 2026
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration — Weekly Petroleum Status Report, series WCSSTUS1. Units: million barrels. Updated Wednesdays around 10:30 ET.
Series ID PET.WCSSTUS1.W (EIA Weekly Petroleum Status Report). Weekly cadence; readings reflect end-of-week balance in millions of barrels of crude held in the four SPR sites (Bryan Mound, Big Hill, West Hackberry, Bayou Choctaw). Pre-2005 readings are from the fill era — the reserve was still being built out and is not directly comparable to post-fill readings as a measure of drawdown headroom.
Quick answers
- When did the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve last fall below 350M bbl?
- The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell below 350M bbl in the week ending June 5, 2026 and holds 311.4M bbl as of July 17, 2026.
- When did the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve last fall below 400M bbl?
- The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell below 400M bbl in the week ending April 24, 2026 and holds 311.4M bbl as of July 17, 2026.
- When did the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve last rise above 300M bbl?
- The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve rose above 300M bbl in the week ending February 4, 1983 and holds 311.4M bbl as of July 17, 2026.
Common questions
- How much oil is in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve?
- The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is the US government's emergency crude stockpile, stored in salt caverns along the Gulf Coast. Its current level, all-time high, all-time low, and post-fill-era low are shown above in millions of barrels, sourced weekly from the EIA. The level changes with drawdowns and refills, so check the as-of date for the latest reading.
- How is the SPR measured and stored?
- SPR volume is reported in millions of barrels of crude oil held in underground salt caverns at sites in Texas and Louisiana. The EIA publishes the level weekly in its Weekly Petroleum Status Report; the series here runs back to 1982.
- Why does the SPR level change?
- The reserve is drawn down during supply emergencies or authorized sales and refilled when the government buys crude to rebuild it. So a falling level reflects releases or sales, and a rising level reflects purchases — it is a policy-driven balance, not a market price.