The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a solicitation to purchase one million barrels of crude oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), with deliveries set for the Bryan Mound site. This action follows the Working Families Tax Cut, signed into law by President Trump earlier this year, which allocated $171 million to begin replenishing 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.”
The SPR currently holds just over 400 million barrels, less than its total capacity of 700 million barrels. The reserve was reduced significantly after a 180-million-barrel drawdown in 2022, which resulted in nearly $280 million in costs and delayed essential maintenance on infrastructure.
The DOE’s solicitation invites bids for the initial purchase through a spot-price-indexed contract. Deliveries are scheduled for December 2025 and January 2026. Only U.S. companies or U.S. subsidiaries of international firms sourcing crude oil from domestic production are eligible to participate. Bids must be submitted by 11:00 A.M. CT on October 28, 2025.
Additional information about the SPR is available on the DOE’s infographic and fact sheet at the following links: Infographic: Strategic Petroleum Reserve and Fact Sheet: Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
