Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump, in a bold initiative to replenish a critical energy asset, is planning to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which has seen its reserves depleted under President Joe Biden at an unprecedented rate. While political maneuverings involving the SPR have long been a staple of presidential antics, Biden’s administration has taken it to dizzying heights, raising concerns about the future stability of this key resource.
Trump’s Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, is looking to Congress for a hefty $20 billion to restore the SPR back to its desired levels. Wading into the murky waters of energy politics during a visit to a natural-gas export facility in Louisiana, Wright indicated that this monumental refill would be a lengthy endeavor, yet one that aims to get the reserve “close to the top.” One can’t help but wonder what Biden’s intentions were with such aggressive withdrawals—perhaps a feel-good, last-minute fix before the election season?
The SPR was established in the aftermath of the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, a crisis that sent shockwaves through the economy and highlighted the need for energy independence. Gerald Ford’s administration created the reserve. Ironically, the very politicians who draw from the SPR for short-term relief must face the consequences that come from treating this strategic asset like a political piñata. The Biden administration stands out for its record-breaking withdrawals, primarily motivated by a desperate attempt to control gas prices as the midterms approached, rather than genuine national security needs.
In 2021, when Biden took office, the SPR boasted over 638 million barrels. Fast-forward to June 2023, and that number plummeted to a mere 347 million barrels, staggering down to its current status of 395 million barrels. Amid this downward spiral, former Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s ambitious claims of refilling the reserve by year’s end were met with skepticism, as backroom deals and purchasing miscommunications came to light. Clearly, pie-in-the-sky promises are more her style than actual energy solutions.
Trump tries refilling critical fuel stockpile, but Biden’s drain may do lasting damage, experts say https://t.co/e393dc06U7
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) March 13, 2025
With every drawdown, experts like David Blackmon are ringing alarm bells about the physical integrity of the storage caverns themselves. The repeated withdrawals and subsequent refills threaten to reshape these salt formations, a natural storage solution that is supposed to be robust and self-healing. On top of that, the caverns are expected to shrink at a rate of 2 million barrels per year due to constant geological pressure and the distortions caused by Biden’s haphazard policies.
As Trump’s administration gears up to gradually refill the SPR, balancing oil prices will prove to be a tightrope act. The effort will inevitably reduce the market supply, which means prices could rise—a potential recipe for voter discontent. Nonetheless, Trump’s energy strategies hold the promise of restoring a crucial resource that Biden’s reckless actions have put at risk. With a future in mind, one can only hope succeeding administrations treat the SPR with the respect it deserves—utilizing it only in times of true national emergency rather than as a political tool for voter appeasement.
