https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/us-oil-reserves-sink-40-year-low
A motorist fills up their car at a petrol station in Colorado, August 12, 2026UNITED STATES oil reserves have sunk to a 40-year low, it was reported today.
They are so low that there could be damage to the massive caverns holding them.
CNBC is reporting that the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) has fallen below 300 million barrels for the first time since it was filled in the early 1980s, after Washington released 172 million barrels in response to supply disruptions caused by the illegal war launched by the US and Israeli war on Iran on February 28.
Oil stocks are projected to fall to around 243 million barrels, prompting experts to warn that the rapid reduction could damage the underground salt caverns used to store the oil, reduce the reserve’s ability to respond to future energy emergencies, and leave critical infrastructure at increased operational risk, according to reports.
Energy experts told CNBC that while the US Department of Energy says the reserve can safely operate with as little as 70 million barrels, the practical operational floor is closer to 250–300 million barrels, warning that repeated large-scale releases over decades have weakened the ageing storage system.
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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/us-oil-reserves-sink-40-year-low
