# Crude Oil Imports

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crude-oil-imports/237417>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 30, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crude-oil-imports/237417 "2004-03-30T22:45:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crude-oil-imports/237417/1 "2004-03-30T22:45:12Z")

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How much crude oil is imported into the US on a daily average?  
How much of that is being placed into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve?

I’m trying to get an idea of what effect the oil being placed into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is having on consumer gasoline prices (if any)?

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**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2004, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crude-oil-imports/237417/2 "2004-03-30T23:26:08Z")

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According to CNN, the latest news is that 150,000 barrels of oil per day are being placed into the Strategic Reserve. This is towards bringing the total from 645 million to 750 million barrels.

As of the week ending 3/19, according to the DoE we are sending 14,608,000 barrels of oil per day to refineries. And 152,000 barrels per day to the Reserve. This corresponds to the CNN figure.

That means that around 1% of our petroleum is going into the Reserve.

Thus, it is extremely unlikely that the oil sent to the SPR is the reason for high prices.

[http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil\_gas/petroleum/data\_publications/weekly\_petroleum\_status\_report/current/txt/table1.txt](http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/weekly_petroleum_status_report/current/txt/table1.txt)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\
**Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crude-oil-imports/237417/3 "2004-03-31T00:41:27Z")

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I had a feeling that was the case, but was unable to find a clear set of numbers. Thanks for the data.