Who emptied the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and why hasn't it been replenished?
- Thread starter Diogenes
- Start date
The fact that the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) isn't filled is because (a) Democrats blocked funding for it in 2020 during Trump's first term in office, and (b) Braindead Biden drained it in 2021-22 to a 40-year low to lower prices at the pump to buy votes ahead of the midterms, risking national security.
It isn't Trump's fault, contrary to some ridiculous claims.
When you take your political biases out of the equation and look at these things objectively, these are the facts. But I expect most lefties aren't interested in being objective when it's easier to sell narratives.
It isn't Trump's fault, contrary to some ridiculous claims.
When you take your political biases out of the equation and look at these things objectively, these are the facts. But I expect most lefties aren't interested in being objective when it's easier to sell narratives.
Why hasn't tRump refilled it while he was bringing prices down?
You'd know why if you'd read the thread.
It has been slightly refilled.....I have been told that Congress did not fund doing any better.
The Department of Energy (DOE) was able to purchase 1 million barrels of crude oil for $171 million for the Bryan Mound SPR site in Texas. That’s all Congress would fund.
Trump has initiated a gradual refill of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), increasing its holdings from about 395 million barrels at the end of 2025 to around 416 million barrels as of mid-February 2026.
Significant replenishment needs billions in appropriations from Congress, which has only provided about $1.3 billion to date.
So Democrats are demanding that Trump refill the SPR that Biden drained and they have held up the funding needed to do so.
Democrats in Congress have not supported funding for replenishing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), as evidenced by their opposition to the key legislation providing such funds. The primary appropriation for replenishment for crude oil purchases and $218 million for maintenance was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1), a reconciliation measure enacted on July 4, 2025.
Subsequent FY2026 appropriations, such as the Energy and Water Development Act (part of H.R.6938, enacted January 23, 2026), provided $206 million for SPR operations and management but not for oil purchases to replenish stocks.
Salt caverns and storage facilities require maintenance and repairs, limiting how quickly oil can be added.
Then there's the issue of moving oil into the repositories; due to physical constraints, only so much can be pumped per day through the pipelines.
Projections indicate the SPR could rise to about 430 million barrels by the end of 2026 if current trends continue, but full restoration to pre-2022 levels (around 700 million barrels) could take 5-10 years.
Trump reiterated in his 2025 State of the Union address a commitment to refilling over a multi-year plan, not immediately.
Trump has initiated a gradual refill of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), increasing its holdings from about 395 million barrels at the end of 2025 to around 416 million barrels as of mid-February 2026.
Significant replenishment needs billions in appropriations from Congress, which has only provided about $1.3 billion to date.
So Democrats are demanding that Trump refill the SPR that Biden drained and they have held up the funding needed to do so.
Democrats in Congress have not supported funding for replenishing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), as evidenced by their opposition to the key legislation providing such funds. The primary appropriation for replenishment for crude oil purchases and $218 million for maintenance was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1), a reconciliation measure enacted on July 4, 2025.
Subsequent FY2026 appropriations, such as the Energy and Water Development Act (part of H.R.6938, enacted January 23, 2026), provided $206 million for SPR operations and management but not for oil purchases to replenish stocks.
Salt caverns and storage facilities require maintenance and repairs, limiting how quickly oil can be added.
Then there's the issue of moving oil into the repositories; due to physical constraints, only so much can be pumped per day through the pipelines.
Projections indicate the SPR could rise to about 430 million barrels by the end of 2026 if current trends continue, but full restoration to pre-2022 levels (around 700 million barrels) could take 5-10 years.
Trump reiterated in his 2025 State of the Union address a commitment to refilling over a multi-year plan, not immediately.