US Oil Stockpile Hits Lowest Level Since 1983 Amid Congressional Inaction
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in the US has reached its lowest level since 1983, with about 311.4 million barrels as of July 2026.
This is a significant drop from March when the reserve had roughly 415 million barrels.
The immediate reason for this decline was President Donald Trump's decision to release 172 million barrels in response to the Iran war, but some argue that Congress bears more responsibility for the weakened state of the SPR.