Oil reserve: status of Strategic Petroleum Reserve activities as of December 31, 1985

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6079362

This report discusses events and activities related to the administration's progress in filling, developing, and operating the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) during the first quarter of fiscal year 1986. Specifically, it notes that: DOE added 4.5 million barrels of oil to the SPR, bringing the total to 493.3 million barrels. The oil fill rate averaged about 49,000 barrels per day during the quarter. DOE made payments of $178 million for oil acquisition and transportation, had unpaid obligations of about $140 million, and had about $668 million in unobligated funds. The storage capacity development program proceeded during the quarter; however, the West Hackberry, Louisiana site's leaching program was stopped in December due to a leak in the brine disposal line. DOE held an SPR drawdown test sale and distribution exercise. Approximately 1 million barrels of oil were competitively sold to oil company bidders and subsequently withdrawn from DOE storage sites for delivery. The Congress passed a continuing resolution for fiscal year 1986 providing about $113 million for continued construction of storage capacity as directed by the fiscal year 1985 Supplemental Appropriations Act. On December 27, 1985, DOE formally notified cognizant congressional committees that it was planning to submit a deferral of funds for SPR storage facilities development. This report also presents information on (1) the implementation of recommendations made in the DOE Oak Ridge Operations Office's reports on its baseline assessment of the SPR Project Office and its review of allegations about mismanagement or misconduct within the SPR program, (2) DOE's compliance with the Cargo Preference Act of 1954 during the 1985 crude oil procurement program, (3) DOE's program to analyze the quality of oil in filled storage caverns, and (4) DOE's pipeline construction and marine terminal enhancements to improve the SPR oil distribution system.

• Research Organization: General Accounting Office, Washington, DC (USA). Resources, Community and Economic Development Div.
• OSTI ID: 6079362
• Report Number(s): GAO/RCED-86-84; ON: TI86901168
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources, Committee on Government Operations, House of Representatives
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
PETROLEUM
UNDERGROUND STORAGE
STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
BUDGETS
CAPACITY
DRAWDOWN
LEACHING
LOUISIANA
PIPELINES
PROCUREMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS
SALES
SALT CAVERNS
TEXAS
US DOE
CAVITIES
DISSOLUTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
RESERVES
RESOURCES
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STORAGE
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
024000* - Petroleum- Storage- (-1989)
294002 - Energy Planning & Policy- Petroleum