Strategic Petroleum Reserves
Global Architecture
Strategic petroleum reserves (SPR) are government-controlled oil stockpiles maintained to insulate economies from supply disruptions. The concept emerged from the 1973 oil crisis when OPEC's embargo revealed the vulnerability of oil-importing economies. National SPRs complement the IEA's coordinated framework and serve both economic (price stabilisation) and security (wartime supply continuity) objectives.
- US SPR (largest in the world): ~350-714 million barrel capacity, stored in salt caverns at Bryan Mound, Big Hill, West Hackberry, and Bayou Choctaw in Texas and Louisiana.
- Japan's SPR is among the largest relative to consumption: Japan holds approximately 150 days of net imports, well above the 90-day IEA minimum.
- Germany stores SPR through the Erdölbevorratungsverband (EBV), a statutory body that manages industry-held stocks on behalf of the state.
- China, India, and other major non-IEA consumers maintain separate national SPRs outside the IEA coordination framework.
- India's SPR: 5.33 million tonnes (~38 million barrels) — approximately 9-10 days of consumption, well below the IEA standard. India is not an IEA member.
● Tracked since March 11, 2026 · last seen June 07, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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