The move follows a coordinated decision by International Energy Agency members to release oil reserves globally in response to rising energy costs.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump has authorized the release of 172 million barrels of crude oil from the United States’ Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of an effort to stabilize energy markets and reduce rising fuel prices linked to ongoing geopolitical tensions.
The Department of Energy announced that the drawdown will begin in the coming days and is expected to take approximately 120 days to complete, according to a statement issued by Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The release is one of the largest single actions involving the reserve in recent history.
The decision comes alongside a broader international initiative coordinated through the International Energy Agency, in which 32 member nations agreed to collectively release roughly 400 million barrels of oil and refined petroleum products from national reserves in an effort to stabilize global markets.
The U.S. government outlined details of the action in an official announcement published by the United States Department of Energy, available in the department’s statement on the planned reserve drawdown: official announcement.
In the statement, Wright described the coordinated international action as a response to rising energy prices and global supply concerns.
“Earlier today, 32 member nations of the International Energy Agency unanimously agreed to President Trump’s request to lower energy prices with a coordinated release of 400 million barrels of oil and refined products from their respective reserves,” Wright said.
“As part of this effort, President Trump authorized the Department of Energy to release 172 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, beginning next week. This will take approximately 120 days to deliver based on planned discharge rates.”
The secretary added that the administration intends to replenish the reserve after the drawdown.
“President Trump promised to protect America’s energy security by managing the Strategic Petroleum Reserve responsibly and this action demonstrates his commitment to that promise,” Wright said. “Unlike the previous administration, which left America’s oil reserves drained and damaged, the United States has arranged to more than replace these strategic reserves with approximately 200 million barrels within the next year—20% more barrels than will be drawn down—and at no cost to the taxpayer.”
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, created in the 1970s following the Arab oil embargo, is designed to provide emergency crude oil supplies in the event of disruptions to global energy markets.
Officials said the coordinated international release was requested as tensions affecting energy supply routes intensified. U.S. authorities have cited ongoing conflict involving Iran as a factor contributing to volatility in global oil markets.
According to the Department of Energy, the planned release from the reserve will be conducted through scheduled discharge rates that distribute the oil to markets over a four-month period.
Administration officials say the action is intended to ease pressure on energy prices for American consumers and reduce volatility in global oil markets while the broader international effort unfolds.
Energy officials also said the United States has already arranged future purchases and supply agreements that are expected to restore the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to levels higher than before the release.
Those replenishment plans include anticipated supply increases from multiple sources, including shipments previously discussed as part of energy trade agreements involving Venezuela. Reporting earlier in the year by BBC News referenced discussions surrounding potential shipments ranging from 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil.
Federal officials say the combination of the reserve release and future replenishment purchases is intended to maintain long-term energy security while addressing short-term price pressures.
The coordinated effort among International Energy Agency member nations represents one of the largest collective releases of emergency oil reserves in recent years, reflecting the scale of concerns over global energy supply disruptions and rising fuel costs.
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