{
  "id": 10755918,
  "title": "U.S. Taps Strategic Oil Reserve Again as Diesel Tops $6",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/u-s-taps-strategic-oil-reserve-again-as-diesel-tops-6",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-29T18:20:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "OilPrice",
    "slug": "oilprice",
    "url": "https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/US-Taps-Strategic-Oil-Reserve-Again-as-Diesel-Tops-6.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The U.S. Department of Energy announced on September 1st that it will release another 40 million barrels of crude from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help alleviate the high prices of gasoline and diesel, which have remained elevated nearly seven months into the ongoing conflict in Iran. This marks the final tranche of the 172 million barrels that the United States committed to releasing in a coordinated emergency drawdown organized by the International Energy Agency. As of August, the SPR had dwindled to 286.6 million barrels after an additional 3.1 million barrels were drawn out during the week ending on August 28th, leaving it more than 445 million barrels below its maximum capacity. Commercial crude inventories also suffered a 48 million barrel decline over the previous 20 weeks by September 1st. Federal law limits non-emergency withdrawals once the SPR's inventory falls below 252.4 million barrels, a threshold the reserve is set to cross once the latest release is complete, signaling its lowest level since 1982. Fuel prices continue to be the primary issue, with U.S. gasoline trading above $4 per gallon and diesel surpassing $6 per gallon due to tight supplies of middle-distillate and disruptions stemming from the Iran war. Energy Secretary Chris Wright also urged European countries to fulfill their own emergency-stock commitments, noting that several IEA members had released only a fraction of their pledged quantities. The 40 million barrels released through the exchange program are not sold outright, but rather returned later with additional barrels as interest. The exchange aims to ultimately return around 200 million barrels to the reserve, with bids due on October 6th.",
  "summary": "The U.S. Department of Energy will offer another 40 million barrels of crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as gasoline and diesel prices remain elevated nearly seven months into the Iran war. The barrels will be offered through an exchange, marking the final tranche of the 172 million barrels the United States pledged to a coordinated emergency release organized by the International Energy…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}