Often used in response to major hurricanes, the SPR remains a strategic asset to protect against disruption in US crude oil supplies.

In response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey, US Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Rick Perry authorized the release of several million barrels of crude oil from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Releases were made first to Phillips 66 for its refinery in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and shortly thereafter to Marathon and Valero. These releases were to make up for the reduction in available crude oil supplies immediately following the storm, which temporarily reduced crude production by nearly 15%, and oil refining operations by well over 20%, in the affected area.