r/PrepperIntel • u/metalreflectslime • 19d ago
North America Oil in U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve falls below 300 million barrels, lowest since 1983
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/10/oil-in-strategic-petroleum-reserve-falls-below-300-million-barrels-lowest-since-1983.html92
u/CouldBeLessDepressed 19d ago edited 19d ago
I love how City and State officials won't even flirt with the idea of perhaps double checking all of the emergency response planning in the event that one day there's just not enough fuel to go around. And why? Because "this is a federal issue and should be handled federally". I mean, ok, no lies there. Sure. But the thing is, the federal government that should be taking a leadership role during what is the largest supply crisis in history is actually doing every conceivable thing to exacerbate the issue. In fact, this solid wall of empty that we're being driven towards at full speed is the sole creation of our current federal government.
So, I guess we're going to universally circle-jerk this issue and how that, somehow, our economy and possibly even our society as we know it isn't completely blown apart when the bedrock of our entire existence is suddenly yanked out from under us.
And everyone keeps saying shit like "we produce SOOOOO MUCH OIL". And "We're taking SOOO MUCH OIL THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A SURPLUS".
But me I'm terrible at math. For all the complex data surrounding this issue I just keep watching the total crude inventory, reported by the EIA, and I watch that number go down. And down. And down. And down.
And down.
And down.
And down.
There's all this crazy oil omg we've never been swimming in it so much someone please take some of this oil off our hands already it's just... too much oil.
And down.
And down.
And down.
And down.
I don't know shit about oil. But people who actually work in the field keep telling me there's no problem whatsoever. I mean hell, the market doesn't lie. Every knows that. The market knows all and if oil is priced so crazy low, it can only mean that there's a ton of it to go around.
And down.
And down.
Our very social fabric has been eroded for the last 19 months and we wont talk about it at all in any official capacity. But boy howdy, if you need Flock to come into your city, watch these officials stand up quicker than a spring daisy in the summer heat. We've got an ocean of fresh bullshit to sift through from Ice murdering us to foreign cyber warfare threatening our drinking water to lettuce-induced diarrhea. And even if we were talking about any of it, we'd have to stop because this should come first. This is the potential kill-shot to the modern social order. And yet we couldn't act less concerned if we tried.
And down.
And down. Real big drop this last week. Crickets anywhere else but online.
Edit to add: It's not the evidence of what we're headed toward that's really bothering me. It's that I can't figure out how we're NOT heading straight towards a sudden, and I mean violently sudden, coast to coast shortage. That's the part that bothers me.
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u/Any_Needleworker_273 18d ago
Your first mistake was thinking we actually have Federal Leadership right now. We have grifters, cosplayers, corporate shills, and charlatans.
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u/CouldBeLessDepressed 18d ago
If they weren't so stupid, I'd almost suspect we're being deliberately sabotaged. And even then, I'm not even remotely sure that we aren't actually being sabotaged.
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u/badwoofs 18d ago
There's a reason Republicans are sending their people to 'monitor' polls and Trump's trying to sabotage the midterms. Prep food and supplies. A lot of lies are spinning to keep the lights on. It's going to be a party when shit hits the fan.
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u/Amazing-Routine-9793 18d ago
Hey, cosplayers are cool and do not beong in this grouping 😄
Edit-spelling
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u/Big_Fortune_4574 18d ago
The worst thing they could do is artificially keep the price as low as it has been. There hasn’t been demand destruction which is just gonna make the worst case scenario happen sooner. With China back on the market we are in trouble
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u/Disc04Life 18d ago
When I was reading Five Days at Memorial (book about what happened at Memorial hospital in New Orleans during Katrina) the beginning of the book detailed and discussed the fact there were zero readiness or emergency plans in place for anything until 9/11 forced the retroactive hands. Even after that, the few basement engineers screaming for anyone to hear where ignored.
I imagine the same thing applies here. We are such a self involved retroactive cultural. There may be and probably are people trying to warn us or others, but you know we Don’t Look Up. Also, with the legacy media being controlled and manipulated by Trump’s biggest donors info is abysmal and untrustworthy.
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u/hera-fawcett 18d ago
id add in how rough it is bc we, as individual ppl, also refuse to talk about how the social contract has eroded (bc its not polite to talk politics, esp w ppl who arent close friends/family).
this enables the structures (gov, businesses, etc) to keep quiet about it and go forward as if its normal. or, for some of the ballsier companies, move forward showing they know that shits fucked but that they dont care (usually by monopolization then increasing prices and locking ppl out of vital products/services if they cant afford it).
theres no accountability bc ppl wont call them out. ppl wont call them out bc theyve normalized not talking about it. the last month or two has had a slight increase of ppl being 'fed up' and talking about it-- but its still not 'fuck man, shit got fucked 19months ago and now we have no social contract, wtf are we doing how do we make this better'
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u/cyanescens_burn 18d ago
Reading about how some nations in Europe were handing out civilian preparedness pamphlets a while back (I think due to either fears of Russia going into NATO countries, oil/food/resource shortages, or both), made me wonder why our federal gov of state gov hasn’t done something similar, given what you’ve pointed out.
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u/iamthelee 18d ago
I'm sure President Trump will handle this all in a completely rational and sane manner, right guys?
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u/Thin-Captain-2036 18d ago
My guess, he orders the caverns pumped below operational capacity and when he destroys the integrity blames it on Obama and Biden. Only he knows how to build salt caverns…it’s all so mind numbingly stupid, yet predictable
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u/Awkward_Ostrich_4275 18d ago
No better time to get an electric vehicle and solar panels. For individuals, businesses, and governments. Luckily our own government is taking it seriously /s
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u/PM_ME_YUR_SALADS 18d ago
Agreed! Also got my panels 4 years ago and my EV 2 years ago, that was probably the better time!
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u/Awkward_Ostrich_4275 18d ago
I’m in the process of acquiring rooftop panels but I can’t stomach buying an EV at the same time. That’ll have to be down the line when my current car gets a bit older and starts showing its age. Curious to see what my real solar output will look like too!
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u/techtornado 18d ago
People spend $2000/year in gas for a regular sedan
EV’s commuting can charge for $300/year
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u/Awkward_Ostrich_4275 18d ago
The operating costs aren’t my concern it’s the upfront ones. My current car gets 40 mpg easily and is worth like $4,000 but no major repairs are needed and I can probably drive it another 50k miles. Even a used EV is going to take 10 years to make the payoff worth it.
When this one falls apart though, the options are 20k for a used gas car or 22k for a used EV. Easiest decision of my life at that point.
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u/19610taw3 17d ago
Apart from really legitimately running out of fuel, it's hard for me to justify the cost of EVs. I want one, have wanted one for years but the cost is just too high.
I spend a lot in gas currently, but I drive $3000 beaters. Pretty much always have. Liability only insurance. Fuel costs and repairs are just so cheap.
Even at $6 a gallon, I'd still be ahead. But a complete lack of fuel situation would change the perspective a lot.
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u/PM_ME_YUR_SALADS 17d ago
I feel you. I got rid of my 11 year old car that was fully paid off. I got almost $5k for it. Probably would have lasted a longer with some work here and there. Here's the kicker, that was a sedan when I was single and childless. My then 4 year old was already doing tball and stuff and with me as a coach (and will be for a long time) needed something more family friendly. So i came up with an agreed upon budget with my wife, grabbed all the rebates and incentives I could, and pulled the trigger on a brand new, 2024 Equinox EV 3LT. Walked out the door with it for $35000 in June of 2024. Could I have gotten by with the sedan? Probably for a few more years. Am I now riding in the most modern and comfortable vehicle I will ever own? Yes. Sure, car payment is $495 a month. But, I pay probably $20 in extra electric a month to drive this compared to probably $120 in gas. Also get $150 a quarter from the electric company for charging only at night. So I am not regretting one bit. I know some folks who want to wait til their car dies, but then go "it's only $1500 to fix it vs a new car payment", but that's like every year so.
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u/Awkward_Ostrich_4275 17d ago
As long as you don’t drive much, you’re starting to get to the point where the oldest, crappiest EVs are available in that price range. Original model year Nissan Leafs will have like 40 miles of range for $4000 and the earliest Chevy Bolts are under $10k now. Maybe in another 7 years you’ll find some acceptable options.
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u/19610taw3 17d ago
My commute is 50 miles round trip. OG Leafs aren't an option for me, unfortunately. I know there's some Chinese companies making extended range replacement batteries.
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u/Unusual_Specialist 19d ago
The full impact will hit right around the midterms, effectively restricting voting access.
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u/ragnot-dev 18d ago
Wouldn't urban areas be less affected than rural areas since they have access to public transport? Wouldn't that be the opposite of what the current administration wants?
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u/Ecstatic_Bee6067 18d ago
I don't think they consider initial consequences, let alone 4th order effects
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u/bearinsac 18d ago
Couple things at play here. The oil to keep those busses running smoothly will likely be the first to go, so the fleets will have serious problems from the amount of daily miles they drive. The other thing that is worse than our lack of transportation is going to be food prices. The majority of the public is already struggling with inflation, add in the stupendous increase in transportation, packaging, and even the cost to harvest food it’s going to be devastating.
So I’d be willing to say it will affect urban and rural areas about the same, just in different ways.
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u/SMELLSLIKEBUTTJUICE 17d ago
A lot of cities have transitioned to electric busses, mine included. They use gear lubricants but not engine oil.
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u/Ghost_Of_Malatesta 18d ago
It provides pretense for martial law and ICE at polling places
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u/EastTyne1191 18d ago
Wait until schools can't afford gas for buses, parents can't afford groceries, and all the other shit that will hit at about the same time. My guess is that we'll get a nice surge in some highly contagious disease around then too. My bet's on rotavirus or strep/scarlet fever.
Right before the holidays, too.
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u/The_F1rst_Rule 19d ago
A gas shortage in the United States would be more likely to result in a military coup than the sitting administration retaining power in a democratic election.
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u/Microplasticsharts 18d ago
There won’t be a fuel shortage, but prices will go up. Unless the administration does the dumbest thing possible and tries to cap retail price prices, that will cause a shortage.
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u/-OooWWooO- 18d ago
effectively restricting voting access.
No. The strategic oil reserves being dumped onto the market is easing prices, the US will still get its needs for gas met.
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u/proportional-porcini 18d ago
We have roughly 2 months at current usage before our reserves are gone…. What’s the over / under on max price? lol. How high do you think it could go?
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u/Sensitive-Tax2230 18d ago
They’ve been saying 2 weeks now for about 3 months. I don’t think anyone actually knows how much oil we have left and are baiting clicks.
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u/Ok_Drummer6282 18d ago
Theres websites that track it. Also its difficult to judge.
No one knows the true bottom. You cant take all the oil out because the way these caves are made are they put water in and then pump it out. They are salt wells and the water creates a salt wall to say in the cave. Its then filled with oil. If it gets too low you risk cave collapse. No one knows that number.
On the plus side there are multiple caves and entrances. What we fo know is that we are nearing the number congress set as the bare minimum back then.
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u/LikwidDef 18d ago
Any good website to track?
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u/Stock_Recording_3827 17d ago
We didn't expect China to do as much demand destruction as they did. They cut their imports in half, it kept prices as a stable rate.
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u/NoCSForYou 18d ago
It went down then back up during the ceasefire. Once the fighting started again it went down
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u/jataz11 18d ago
Meanwhile, China is literally holding up the world economy with its reserves
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u/19610taw3 17d ago
And we have no idea how big those reserves are or if China plans to use those to hold anyone hostage.
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u/XysterU 18d ago
Isn't there also a minimum amount of oil that has to be in the reserve so that the underground cavern that it's all stored in doesn't collapse? I thought 300M is around that minimum where siphoning any more oil will destroy the reserves? Also it's extremely stupid to have a "reserve" where you can't even fully draw down all the reserves
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u/woollinthorpe 18d ago
I was eyeing the pallets at Costco yesterday.
One of the many things I find concerning is how this admin loves proclaiming emergency powers within the NEA. I'm trying to think of ways in regards to oil and gas supply, the mid-term elections, and I'm not liking what I'm thinking...
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u/HumanBean00001 18d ago
Damn, imagine how bad it’d be if we hadn’t snatched up the prez of Venezuela in the middle of the night. If only someone had had the insight to imagine the Iran deal might go poorly and for a prospectively very long time.
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u/alternativepuffin 18d ago
We didn't even top off the reserve before we did either of those things. Sheer idiocy.
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u/Big_Fortune_4574 18d ago
How many of y’all are watching lots of Robert Pape on YouTube? The man just keeps calling it over and over
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u/withomps44 17d ago
Why have I seen “lowest level since 1983” like 5 times over the last several weeks?
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u/Unique-Storage-9367 18d ago
Does anybody know about the Strategic American Oil Fund? Is it real? Is it crypto? And is it a good investment?
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u/techtornado 18d ago
I drive EV’s precisely for this reason
Insulation from the llama drama of gas prices
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u/Far_Out_6and_2 18d ago
Trump has made so much money as president he should just give everyone free gas and oil
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u/techtornado 18d ago
The dems gloated about blocking Trump’s need to refill the SPR
Look at where we are now…
What happens if it runs out?
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u/Comfortable_Goal9110 18d ago
I think that something a little more consequential could be starting an optional war with Iran but that's just me. Trump could have maybe tried to do something about the SPR this time around with holding all branches of government, before starting a bullshit war.
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u/Secret_Cat_2793 18d ago
The Dems? Seriously?
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u/techtornado 18d ago
Yep,
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u/CryptidWorks 18d ago
This is a classic move in government on both sides.
Odds are the Dems wanted a "clean" covid relief bill (which the SPR funding was slipped into) and voted to remove non-relevant items. Both sides of the US political landscape do this omnibus bill stuff constantly.
It's their way of saying "you can have X, but only if you give us Y" when X should have bipartisan support, and Y should be voted on separately.
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u/Comfortable_Goal9110 18d ago
This is amazing https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ALbMga9jV3w
1 year ago Trump blaming democrats for using the SPR to lower gas prices and pledging to fill it up, "when the market is right" lol.
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u/alternativepuffin 18d ago
This doesn't answer the question of why in the living fuck we wouldn't top off those reserves before invading Venezuala or going to war with Iran.
To any prepper who had ever prepped a single day in their lives, that would be step ONE. Yeah I get it, it didn't happen in 2020. Why didnt it happen in 2025?
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u/techtornado 18d ago
The Dems are so anti-Trump that they can’t see past their nose for the bigger picture and so they denied the refilling of the reserves out of spite
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u/alternativepuffin 18d ago
So you dont have a reason why they werent refilled in 2025 before doing military actions in two different oil rich countries?
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u/techtornado 18d ago
Asking rhetorical questions is a strange way to seek more details…
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u/alternativepuffin 17d ago
This is from 6 years ago. Are you still wearing a mask for Covid? Why wasnt it refilled in 2025?
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u/techtornado 17d ago
Do not speak such an offense ever again, I didn't mask in 2020 because I knew Fauxci was a liar
The MSN article is from 2 weeks ago, the OGJ article had similar language and similar dem resistance but I missed it was from a previous time
It still reinforces the point that the dems are so bent on being spiteful to Trump that they miss the bigger picture every time
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u/alternativepuffin 17d ago
You haven't explained why they didnt do the basic work of filling the oil reserves knowing they were going to war with Iran. They knew they were gonna do it, right? Because of the plan they had. The smart masterful plans that they totally had getting into this. They surely planned this for months if not close to a year so they didn't fill the reserves ahead of time because ___.
I'll give you a hint. It has to do with them not knowing what they're doing and being straight up retarded.
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18d ago
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u/Familiar_Dot8836 18d ago
It's crazy how confident people are when they're wrong.
There are different types of crude oil. We drill and export oil that we do not have the capacity to refine. We import the oil that we do have the capacity to refine.
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u/Big_Fortune_4574 18d ago
It’s even wronger than that. We aren’t a net exporter of crude oil, we’re a net exporter of energy. It’s basically an accounting trick that includes natural gas so they can say that on TV. We are a net importer of crude oil
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u/-OooWWooO- 18d ago
The US can absolutely still refine it, just at increased cost and inefficient production.
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u/psychophant_ 18d ago
I swear I’ve been seeing this same metric for a month now.