U.S. Considers Tapping Oil Under Military Bases
Officials say the plan could let the government own more of the crude it pumps and reduce purchases from private producers.
- According to a source, the Trump administration is studying drilling for oil under U.S. military bases to refill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, though no formal decision has been made on the initiative.
- Declines in the Reserve, which is at its lowest level since 1982, followed a 172 million-barrel release ordered by Trump to help ease energy prices during the conflict with Iran.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright recently said there will be "some creative things" involving oil beneath U.S. military bases, while a 2025 analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey identified 29.4 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil.
- U.S. retail prices for gasoline topped $4.50 a gallon this week as Americans prepare for summer travel, though drilling under military bases is unlikely to have immediate impact on energy prices.
- Congress has been reluctant to furnish the billions of dollars needed to fulfill Trump's vow to refill the reserve "right to the top," and drilling could allow the government to own produced oil instead of purchasing from private producers.
15 Articles
15 Articles
US studies tapping oil under bases
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is studying using oil under land at U.S. military bases and other Department of Defense sites to help refill the nation's depleted emergency reserves, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Trump administration eyeing oil under U.S. military bases for reserve refill
The Trump administration is studying using oil under land at U.S. military bases and other Department of War sites to help refill the nation’s depleted emergency reserves, according to a person familiar with the matter.
U.S. Considers Drilling for Crude Oil Underground at Military Bases Amid Risk of Depletion of Strategic Oil Reserves. It has been reported that the U.S. government is considering directly drilling for crude oil beneath land owned by military units as strategic oil reserves have plummeted in the aftermath of the war with Iran. Bloomberg reported on the 6th (local time) that the U.S. government plans to replenish strategic oil reserves.
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