3 ms·

The problem with drawdowns is they can and have compromised the structural integrity of the caverns used in the SPR. Like oil, they're a finite resource and sho

• stouset 13d ago
  I love that you think the current administration will actually consider this when deciding whether or not to suck it dry anyway.
  • SlightlyLeftPad 13d ago
    Belief in science is a prerequisite.
    • pseudohadamard 12d ago
      Don't you mean disbelief in science? It's really weird how in Europe having a PhD in X is seen as a good thing for being the Minister for X while in the US having to get an aide to unlock your cellphone for you is seen as a good thing for the same post.
• ndiddy 12d ago
  Right, that's what I meant by the problem being cumulative rather than caused by the actual amount of oil. The GAO article I linked goes into this: > The SPR caverns that were built by DOE were designed to be geomechanically stable for up to five full drawdowns. Repeated partial drawdowns followed by refill can leach a single part of a cavern repeatedly, leading to undesirable shapes. After Congress directed DOE to begin conducting regular non-emergency mandated sales from the SPR starting in 2017 to help manage the federal budget, DOE tasked Sandia to provide a yearly update on the number of drawdowns each cavern had remaining since the caverns were being used regularly to withdraw crude oil. In May 2025, Sandia reported that the majority of the SPR’s caverns (47 of 60—about 78 percent) had at least four remaining available drawdowns as of the end of calendar year 2024, and all but one cavern had at least one remaining available drawdown.