- The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve has dipped below 300 million barrels for the first time since the 1980s and is expected to fall to about 243 million after a 172-million-barrel release tied to the Iran war and efforts to stabilize energy markets.
- Engineers warn repeated drawdowns could damage the salt caverns that store the oil—dissolving walls, thermal shock and sludge could impair pumps and the reserve’s ability to deliver rapid emergency supplies.
- The Department of Energy says the caverns remain safe and are being managed and repaired, but the GAO and lawmakers note costly restoration needs and bipartisan political debate over how the SPR is being used.
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