U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Program

Fact #321: May 24, 2004
Days of Reserves Stored in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

In 1985, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) could have replaced 115 days worth of oil imports. Rising imports have caused that figure to be cut in half; in 2003, there were 57 days worth of total net imports of petroleum that could be met by the SPR in an emergency.

SPR Stocks as Days' Worth of Net Imports, 1977–2003
Graph showing the number of days the strategic petroleum reserve could have replaced oil imports for the each year from 1977 through 2003.

Supporting Information

Strategic Petroleum Reserve Stocks as Days' Worth of Net Imports
  Number of Days
1977 1
1978 8
1979 1
1980 17
1981 43
1982 68
1983 88
1984 96
1985 115
1986 94
1987 91
1988 85
1989 81
1990 82
1991 86
1992 83
1993 77
1994 73
1995 75
1996 67
1997 62
1998 59
1999 57
2000 52
2001 50
2002 58
2003 57

Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA), Annual Energy Review 2002, Table 5.15. 2003 data estimated using data from the EIA Petroleum Supply Monthly, March 2004, Tables S1 and S2.

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