The Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Gao ID: 108670 February 26, 1979

A progress report on an analysis of the optimum size for a U.S strategic petroleum reserve was presented. The following observations and conclusions were discussed: (1) research did not show that one billion barrels of oil was the optimum size reserve; (2) a recent analysis by the Department of Energy indicated that the largest potential supply shortfalls, 6.6 and 6.8 million barrels per day, were considered less then the largest projection of 10.9 million barrels per day made at the time the amended plan was proposed; and (3) the one billion barrel reserve was sized to meet a supply disruption of far greater magnitude than ever experienced in the past.



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