The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a new effort to purchase one million barrels of crude oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) at the Bryan Mound site. This move follows the Working Families Tax Cut, which President Trump signed into law earlier this year, providing $171 million to begin refilling the SPR.
Secretary Wright stated, "After the previous administration recklessly drained the SPR for political purposes, President Trump promised to refill and manage this national security asset more responsibly. Thanks to the President and Congress, we are able to begin the process of refilling the SPR. While this process won’t be complete overnight, these actions are an important step in strengthening our energy security and reversing the costly and irresponsible energy policies of the last administration."
Currently, the SPR holds just over 400 million barrels, which is significantly less than its total capacity of 700 million barrels. The reserve was notably reduced after a 180-million-barrel drawdown in 2022 under the previous administration. That release led to about $280 million in costs and postponed needed maintenance on key infrastructure.
The DOE's solicitation seeks bids for a spot-price-indexed contract covering one million barrels, with delivery scheduled for December 2025 and January 2026. Only U.S. companies or U.S. subsidiaries of international firms with domestically produced crude oil can participate. The deadline for bids is October 28, 2025, at 11:00 A.M. CT.
More information on the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is available through DOE resources, including an infographic and a fact sheet.
