The key facts
- The US reserve reached 279.5 million barrels — the lowest since October 1982
- As recently as late October, stocks stood at about 282.2 million barrels
- The US plans to release up to 40 million barrels in November–December 2026, with returns from July 2027 through December 2029
Lowest since 1982
The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell to 279.5 million barrels for the week ending November 6, 2026 — the lowest level since October 1982, according to data from the US Department of Energy cited by Life.ru. A comparable level was last recorded for the week ending October 8, 1982, when storage facilities held 278.725 million barrels.
The decline has been going on for several months
The drawdown has not been abrupt: as recently as late October, the reserve stood at about 282.2 million barrels, meaning it shrank by roughly 2.7 million barrels in less than two weeks. The reduction has been continuing for several months.
Plans to release oil
The decline in the reserve is linked to the previously announced plan to release up to 40 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserve. Deliveries are scheduled for November and December 2026, with the oil to be returned to storage from July 2027 through December 2029. The measure is part of an international program that envisions using oil stocks to stabilize the market. Thus, the historic low is, so far, a recorded consequence of the already-made decision on deliveries rather than a separate new announcement: the return of oil to storage, according to the plan, will begin only in 2027.
