Strategic Petroleum Reserve hits lowest level since January 1983

Published August 10, 2026 2:16pm ET | Updated August 10, 2026 2:16pm ET



The United States’s emergency stockpile of oil reserves has hit its lowest level since early 1983, as the Trump administration releases crude oil to prevent costs from skyrocketing as the war in Iran drags on.

Data released Monday by the Energy Department showed that, for the first time since it was filled, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell below 300 million barrels, and inventories are expected to keep dropping.

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