{"id":291245,"date":"2023-12-14T11:39:37","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T10:39:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=291245"},"modified":"2023-12-14T11:39:40","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T10:39:40","slug":"the-u-s-strategic-petroleum-reserve-only-has-a-20-day-supply-for-the-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=291245","title":{"rendered":"The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve only has a 20-day supply for the country"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Aerial view of three (white) DOE crude oil storage tanks in the foreground at the sunoco terminal near Nederland, Texas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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By Ronald Stein<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1973, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) imposed an oil embargo against the United States, triggering a crude oil crisis that sent the U.S. economy into a recession. To mitigate from any future shortages of oil, President Gerald Ford signed the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, which established the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (<\/strong>SPR)<\/strong>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The SPR is centrally located along the Gulf Coast where the oil can be distributed to nearly half of all U.S. oil refineries using interstate pipelines or barges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, California, the 4th largest economy in the world, has no access to the SPR as there are no pipelines over the Sierra Mountains to reach the \u201cCalifornia Energy Island\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A few years after the SPR was authorized, in the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis<\/strong><\/u><\/a> in 1977, the Department of Energy was established to lessen<\/strong><\/em> our dependence on foreign oil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, California, the 4th<\/sup> largest economy in the world, California is importing almost 60 percent of its crude oil demands from foreign countries<\/strong><\/u><\/a>, to support the States\u2019 9 International airports, 41 Military airports, and 3 of the largest shipping ports in America!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Now, after 50 years, the Department of Energy<\/strong><\/a> (DOE) is comprised of approximately 14,000 federal employees and over 95,000 management and operating contractors, and 83 field locations, and a $48 billion dollar budget<\/strong><\/a>, the United States remains a net crude oil importer. Although exports increased in the first half of 2023, the United States demands have also been increasing, resulting in imports exceeding exports, meaning the U.S. remains a net crude oil importer<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States, as a net crude oil importer, continues to rely on foreign countries to run the 118 international airports<\/strong><\/a> in the United States and the 500 Military airports in the United States<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

50 years after the oil embargo crisis of 1973, there remain no American policy for crude oil independence. America continues to INCREASE its dependence on China for \u201cgreen\u201d minerals and metals, and on OPEC, Russia, and other countries for oil. Today, with LESS independence, America is more vulnerable to another embargo than we were 50 years ago!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>Over the same period, California Governors have been continually decreasing California\u2019s in-state oil production. The emissions policies of past and current Governors continue to force California, the 4th largest economy in the world<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> to be the only state in contiguous America that imports most of its crude oil feedstock to in-state refineries from foreign countries. The States Governor leaders over the decades have been:<\/p>\n\n\n\n