America’s Secret Barrel Oil Stash: The US keeps a huge amount of oil hidden deep under the Gulf of Mexico. Some call it the Gulf of America, but most know it as the Gulf of Mexico. No matter the name, the US has stored more than 372 million barrels of oil there. The country’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve can hold over 700 million barrels, but the amount has dropped a lot since 2019 when it had 645 million barrels.
Why Did the US Start Storing Oil Underground?
In the 1970s, the US faced a big energy crisis. A group of oil-producing countries, called OPEC today, stopped selling oil to America. This made gas prices shoot up, hurting the economy. Because of this, President Gerald Ford decided to create a national oil reserve. By 1977, the US began storing oil in giant underground salt caves along the Gulf of Mexico.
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U.S. average retail prices for February 10, 2025:
⛽️ Regular grade #gasoline: $3.13/gallon
⛽️ On-highway #diesel: $3.67/gallon#gasprices https://t.co/NIJ3L1nFXS— EIA (@EIAgov) February 11, 2025
When Russia invaded Ukraine, many countries stopped buying Russian oil. This made energy prices jump worldwide. To help lower prices, the US government took oil from its reserves and sold it. This increased supply and brought prices down a bit. While it didn’t fix everything, it helped families pay less for gas.
America’s Secret Barrel Oil Stash: Where are They?
The US keeps its oil in four main locations along the Gulf Coast:
- Two in Texas: Bryan Mound and Big Hill
- Two in Louisiana: West Hackberry and Bayou Choctaw
The oil sits inside huge salt caves deep underground. According to AS news, the US Department of Energy says, “The petroleum is held within the massive salt deposits that underlie most of the Texas and Louisiana coastline.” Storing oil this way is much cheaper than using tanks above ground.
EIA forecasts lower #oil price in 2025 amid significant market uncertainties #TodayInEnergy 📰
➡️ https://t.co/ydN0LNaQVI pic.twitter.com/a4oVZBdWMw
— EIA (@EIAgov) January 21, 2025
What Do These Underground Caves Look Like?
There are 60 caves in total, shaped like giant cylinders. Each one is about 200 feet wide and 2,500 feet tall like a deep, underground tower. These caves can hold anywhere from 6 million to 37 million barrels of oil.
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The US government explains, “These caverns cost up to 10 times less than above-ground tanks and 20 times less than hard rock mines.” This makes them the perfect place to keep the country’s emergency oil supply safe and ready for when it’s needed.
