The United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) has reached its lowest inventory levels since the 1980s, with tens of millions of barrels drained in response to global conflicts and domestic energy price concerns, according to a recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. The GAO also flagged significant risks to the reserve's operational capability due to aging infrastructure that requires substantial, ongoing maintenance.
The reserve, designed to hold up to approximately 680 million barrels of oil, contained less than 350 million barrels as of early June. The significant depletion includes at least 180 million barrels released in response to the invasion of Ukraine and through congressionally mandated sales. An additional planned release of 172 million barrels, announced by the Department of Energy in March 2026 to address domestic gas price spikes exacerbated by global oil supply interruptions, could further reduce reserves. The GAO cautioned that the full implications of this large-scale release are not yet fully understood and the situation could be more severe than currently assessed.
Compounding the issue, the GAO report highlights a lack of a clear plan to replenish the reserve's dwindling supply. There is no established method to identify where the oil would be sourced from for future resupply efforts. While the Department of Energy stated in March that a plan to replace the oil exists, specific details have not been provided.
A Department of Energy spokesperson asserted that the SPR is a critical national security asset that must be managed strategically, not politically. The spokesperson also claimed that under the Trump administration, barrels were exchanged for lower-cost ones that would be delivered back to the SPR, intending to more than replace the 172-million-barrel release and stabilize oil markets.
Beyond the depleted inventory, the GAO report detailed a growing backlog of necessary upgrades and repairs at the SPR's storage facilities located in Louisiana and Texas. The report noted that the vast majority of the reserve's wells have surpassed their average design life of 20 to 30 years, with some facilities nearing 38 years old. While the Department of Energy is undertaking a $1.4 billion life extension project, the repairs are not keeping pace with the aging infrastructure, leading to a mounting backlog and potential operational limitations.
Addressing the current maintenance backlog is estimated to cost approximately $230 million, according to projections from the Department of Energy in December 2025. The GAO warned that failure to address these needs could undermine the reserve's ability to safely and reliably store and release oil. The watchdog agency recommended that Congress and the Department of Energy collaborate to develop a unified, long-term strategy. This plan should define a target size for the reserve and outline how it can adapt to changing U.S. energy needs and obligations, including a clear method for identifying resources to refill the stockpile.