Biden Admin Buys Oil to Refill Strategic Petroleum Reserve, Offset Keystone Leak Disruption

Strategic Petroleum Reserve crude oil storage tanks near Nederland, Texas
Strategic Petroleum Reserve crude oil storage tanks near Nederland, Texas. U.S. Department of Energy
Why you can trust us

Founded in 2005 as an Ohio-based environmental newspaper, EcoWatch is a digital platform dedicated to publishing quality, science-based content on environmental issues, causes, and solutions.

The Biden administration will concurrently begin an effort to restock the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) and release nearly 2 million barrels.

The administration released 180 million barrels of oil from the SPR earlier this year to stabilize oil markets upended by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and now plans to tap the SPR to bail out companies affected by the rupture of the Keystone Pipeline in Kansas.

The cause of the Keystone Pipeline rupture that spilled nearly 600,000 gallons of oil across rural Kansas and into Mill Creek in Washington County is still unknown.

“When a tar sands disaster like this happens, it is worse than a traditional oil spill. Because tar sands is much more difficult, expensive and much more toxic to clean up. We know that this is going to take years,” said Jane Kleeb of Bold Nebraska. Tar sands oil is so thick it actually sinks in water, making clean up much harder. “It’s a very thick substance that’s almost peanut butter consistency,” Anthony Swift, director of the Canada Project with NRDC, told NPR.

For a deeper dive:

SPR restock: Reuters, Axios, Politico, The Hill, The New York Times; Keystone spill: NPR, Grist, Salon; Both: CNN

For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, sign up for daily Hot News, and visit their news site, Nexus Media News.

Subscribe to get exclusive updates in our daily newsletter!

    By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from EcoWatch Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content.

    Read More

    World Set to Add 'Record-Breaking' Renewables to Electricity Systems: New IEA Report
    A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) shows
    By Cristen Hemingway Jaynes
    Meals on Wheels Is a Climate-Relief Model
    By Danielle Renwick
    By Nexus Media
    'Clean Energy Is Moving Fast': Investments in Renewables Will Overtake Fossil Fuels for the First Time This Year, IEA Says
    A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) says
    By Cristen Hemingway Jaynes

    Subscribe to get exclusive updates in our daily newsletter!

      By signing up, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy & to receive electronic communications from EcoWatch Media Group, which may include marketing promotions, advertisements and sponsored content.

      Latest Articles