The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a solicitation to purchase one million barrels of crude oil for delivery to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) at the Bryan Mound site. This move is part of an effort to begin refilling the SPR, following the passage of the Working Families Tax Cut, which President Trump signed into law earlier this year. The legislation provided $171 million to start replenishing the reserve.
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.”
Currently, the SPR contains just over 400 million barrels, which is below its total capacity of 700 million barrels. The reserve was depleted by a 180-million-barrel drawdown in 2022, which led to almost $280 million in costs and delayed maintenance on critical infrastructure.
The DOE’s solicitation seeks bids for the initial purchase of one million barrels through a spot-price-indexed contract. Deliveries are planned for December 2025 and January 2026. Only U.S. companies or U.S. subsidiaries of international companies 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 can be found at Infographic: Strategic Petroleum Reserve and Fact Sheet: Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
