Brent oil futures hit $114.72. The US emergency oil reserve is at its lowest since 1982
The Energy Department has been lending oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve since spring, which it says is to stabilize oil markets. EIA data show the reserve holds about a third less than before the war began.
KeyVex News··6 min readFact-checked against 16 public recordsKeyVex News··6 min readFact-checked against 16 public records
USO$162.51▲ 1.7%Close, Oct. 22. Prices from Tiingo.Follow-upThis story follows our Oct. 23 report, Trump says Iran is faking Hormuz tanker hits. Turns from Iran's tanker claims to oil's price: the reserve Washington has been lending from, now at its lowest since 1982, and House members' trades in oil stocks since the war began.
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- The US keeps an emergency oil stockpile to soften supply disruptions, the Energy Department says. Since the US-Israeli war with Iran began Feb. 28, the department has been lending its oil to companies.
- It now holds the least oil since October 1982, about a third less than before the war. Borrowers must return what they take with extra barrels, so it refills as loans are repaid.
- Meanwhile Brent crude futures, the global benchmark, hit $114.72 on Oct. 23, the highest since early May. US gasoline averaged $4.28 a gallon in the week of Oct. 19, up from $2.94 before the war.
- What is next on paper: EIA's next weekly count of the reserve comes Oct. 28, and deliveries under the Energy Department's loans already awarded are scheduled for November and December.
The price: Futures on Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, reached $114.72 a barrel on Oct. 23, the highest since May 4, Fox News reported. Futures are contracts for oil delivered later.Fox News Reuters tied the Oct. 22 jump to concern about further supply disruption after Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, in a report carried by CNBC.CNBC President Trump said on Oct. 22 that Iran "is doing everything they can to drive up the price of Oil" before the midterm elections.CNBC In CNBC's report updated at 8:46 a.m. Eastern on Oct. 23, US crude futures were up 1.7% at $101.11 a barrel.CNBC
The stockpile: The government's emergency oil supply is thinner than at any time since 1982. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve held 282.7 million barrels in the week ending Oct. 16, Energy Information Administration data show.EIA That is down from 415.4 million the week before the US and Israel went to war with Iran on Feb. 28.EIAAl Jazeera It is also under 40% of the 714 million barrels the reserve is authorized to store, the Energy Department says.DOE
Why it matters: The department has been lending the reserve's oil to companies since spring, to "stabilize oil markets," in Energy Secretary Chris Wright's words. Borrowers return it later, with extra barrels.DOEEIA On Oct. 16 the department asked for bids on up to 17 million more, Reuters reported.Reuters If all of it went out before repayments arrived, the reserve would fall to about 266 million barrels, OilPrice.com calculated.OilPrice
The United States Oil Fund in 2026, with the Energy Department's oil loansDaily close, Jan. 2 to Oct. 22, 2026 ▲ 135.7%Show chartHide chart
- 1March 2, 2026 First trading day after the war begins. The United States and Israel began their war against Iran on Feb. 28. USO closed at $81.95 on Feb. 27 and $87.19 on March 2.
- 2June 10, 2026 The Energy Department offers up to 40 million barrels. A loan from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, part of the 172 million barrels the US committed in March.
- 3Sept. 29, 2026 Another offer of up to 40 million barrels. The department says more than 133 million barrels have been awarded across four completed loans.
- 4Oct. 16, 2026 An offer of up to 17 million more. Reuters reports the request for proposals; the reserve holds about 283 million barrels, OilPrice.com reports.
- 5Oct. 22, 2026 USO closes at $162.51, its highest close of 2026. Trump says Iran is trying to drive up oil prices before the midterms.
View the data (203 trading days)
| Date | Close | Day change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-22 | $162.51 | +1.7% |
| 2026-10-21 | $159.80 | −0.5% |
| 2026-10-20 | $160.61 | −0.1% |
| 2026-10-19 | $160.81 | −0.6% |
| 2026-10-16 | $161.76 | +2.8% |
| 2026-10-15 | $157.31 | +2.4% |
| 2026-10-14 | $153.56 | +0.3% |
| 2026-10-13 | $153.09 | +1.4% |
| 2026-10-12 | $151.03 | +1.9% |
| 2026-10-09 | $148.20 | +0.4% |
| 2026-10-08 | $147.58 | +2.6% |
| 2026-10-07 | $143.91 | −0.7% |
| 2026-10-06 | $144.91 | +0.6% |
| 2026-10-05 | $143.99 | −2.3% |
| 2026-10-02 | $147.37 | −1.8% |
| 2026-10-01 | $150.02 | +3.0% |
| 2026-09-30 | $145.66 | +1.6% |
| 2026-09-29 | $143.35 | −4.4% |
| 2026-09-28 | $150.01 | +1.1% |
| 2026-09-25 | $148.33 | −3.1% |
| 2026-09-24 | $153.09 | +2.9% |
| 2026-09-23 | $148.83 | +3.3% |
| 2026-09-22 | $144.08 | −2.8% |
| 2026-09-21 | $148.16 | −3.7% |
| 2026-09-18 | $153.82 | −1.0% |
| 2026-09-17 | $155.31 | −0.6% |
| 2026-09-16 | $156.17 | −3.5% |
| 2026-09-15 | $161.86 | +3.3% |
| 2026-09-14 | $156.66 | +1.1% |
| 2026-09-11 | $154.90 | −2.2% |
| 2026-09-10 | $158.38 | +5.6% |
| 2026-09-09 | $149.97 | +2.7% |
| 2026-09-08 | $146.03 | +2.9% |
| 2026-09-04 | $141.96 | −0.1% |
| 2026-09-03 | $142.09 | +0.7% |
| 2026-09-02 | $141.15 | +0.1% |
| 2026-09-01 | $141.00 | +5.5% |
| 2026-08-31 | $133.70 | +3.1% |
| 2026-08-28 | $129.70 | −0.2% |
| 2026-08-27 | $130.01 | +2.1% |
| 2026-08-26 | $127.35 | +1.0% |
| 2026-08-25 | $126.15 | −4.6% |
| 2026-08-24 | $132.21 | −1.8% |
| 2026-08-21 | $134.64 | +0.1% |
| 2026-08-20 | $134.54 | +2.8% |
| 2026-08-19 | $130.91 | +0.2% |
| 2026-08-18 | $130.66 | +0.3% |
| 2026-08-17 | $130.29 | +2.9% |
| 2026-08-14 | $126.60 | +1.3% |
| 2026-08-13 | $125.03 | −1.8% |
| 2026-08-12 | $127.30 | −0.2% |
| 2026-08-11 | $127.61 | +1.3% |
| 2026-08-10 | $125.92 | +6.7% |
| 2026-08-07 | $117.98 | −0.7% |
| 2026-08-06 | $118.87 | +3.5% |
| 2026-08-05 | $114.88 | −0.8% |
| 2026-08-04 | $115.78 | −5.2% |
| 2026-08-03 | $122.12 | −5.5% |
| 2026-07-31 | $129.17 | +1.3% |
| 2026-07-30 | $127.48 | −1.4% |
| 2026-07-29 | $129.31 | +7.3% |
| 2026-07-28 | $120.49 | −3.4% |
| 2026-07-27 | $124.76 | −8.7% |
| 2026-07-24 | $136.69 | −2.0% |
| 2026-07-23 | $139.49 | +5.9% |
| 2026-07-22 | $131.68 | +2.2% |
| 2026-07-21 | $128.85 | +2.7% |
| 2026-07-20 | $125.51 | +1.3% |
| 2026-07-17 | $123.96 | +3.9% |
| 2026-07-16 | $119.30 | −1.7% |
| 2026-07-15 | $121.38 | +1.0% |
| 2026-07-14 | $120.17 | +2.0% |
| 2026-07-13 | $117.79 | +8.4% |
| 2026-07-10 | $108.70 | −0.3% |
| 2026-07-09 | $109.01 | −2.9% |
| 2026-07-08 | $112.21 | +3.0% |
| 2026-07-07 | $108.92 | +4.4% |
| 2026-07-06 | $104.35 | +0.4% |
| 2026-07-02 | $103.98 | +0.7% |
| 2026-07-01 | $103.27 | −3.0% |
| 2026-06-30 | $106.44 | −0.6% |
| 2026-06-29 | $107.08 | +1.5% |
| 2026-06-26 | $105.48 | −3.5% |
| 2026-06-25 | $109.31 | +2.8% |
| 2026-06-24 | $106.29 | −4.5% |
| 2026-06-23 | $111.26 | −1.3% |
| 2026-06-22 | $112.69 | −1.9% |
| 2026-06-18 | $114.87 | +0.6% |
| 2026-06-17 | $114.23 | −1.1% |
| 2026-06-16 | $115.47 | −4.7% |
| 2026-06-15 | $121.21 | −3.4% |
| 2026-06-12 | $125.43 | −2.6% |
| 2026-06-11 | $128.83 | −4.1% |
| 2026-06-10 | $134.30 | +2.3% |
| 2026-06-09 | $131.30 | −2.8% |
| 2026-06-08 | $135.15 | +1.6% |
| 2026-06-05 | $133.02 | −2.7% |
| 2026-06-04 | $136.74 | −2.9% |
| 2026-06-03 | $140.86 | +2.6% |
| 2026-06-02 | $137.27 | +1.3% |
| 2026-06-01 | $135.50 | +5.0% |
| 2026-05-29 | $129.09 | −1.3% |
| 2026-05-28 | $130.78 | −0.2% |
| 2026-05-27 | $131.03 | −4.4% |
| 2026-05-26 | $137.00 | −2.8% |
| 2026-05-22 | $140.92 | −1.1% |
| 2026-05-21 | $142.54 | −1.2% |
| 2026-05-20 | $144.27 | −5.7% |
| 2026-05-19 | $152.96 | +2.5% |
| 2026-05-18 | $149.29 | +0.7% |
| 2026-05-15 | $148.23 | +3.7% |
| 2026-05-14 | $143.00 | +0.7% |
| 2026-05-13 | $142.04 | −1.6% |
| 2026-05-12 | $144.30 | +4.1% |
| 2026-05-11 | $138.66 | +3.8% |
| 2026-05-08 | $133.59 | −1.0% |
| 2026-05-07 | $134.97 | +0.8% |
| 2026-05-06 | $133.95 | −7.1% |
| 2026-05-05 | $144.17 | −2.3% |
| 2026-05-04 | $147.61 | +3.4% |
| 2026-05-01 | $142.80 | −2.9% |
| 2026-04-30 | $147.09 | −2.4% |
| 2026-04-29 | $150.63 | +7.9% |
| 2026-04-28 | $139.60 | +3.6% |
| 2026-04-27 | $134.72 | +1.8% |
| 2026-04-24 | $132.40 | −1.7% |
| 2026-04-23 | $134.72 | +4.1% |
| 2026-04-22 | $129.40 | +0.9% |
| 2026-04-21 | $128.25 | +5.7% |
| 2026-04-20 | $121.32 | +4.6% |
| 2026-04-17 | $116.04 | −7.8% |
| 2026-04-16 | $125.84 | +2.7% |
| 2026-04-15 | $122.59 | −1.0% |
| 2026-04-14 | $123.85 | −3.6% |
| 2026-04-13 | $128.47 | +2.9% |
| 2026-04-10 | $124.82 | −1.7% |
| 2026-04-09 | $126.96 | +1.9% |
| 2026-04-08 | $124.58 | −9.8% |
| 2026-04-07 | $138.08 | −0.6% |
| 2026-04-06 | $138.94 | +0.7% |
| 2026-04-02 | $137.92 | +11.1% |
| 2026-04-01 | $124.09 | −2.5% |
| 2026-03-31 | $127.25 | −2.0% |
| 2026-03-30 | $129.83 | +4.5% |
| 2026-03-27 | $124.20 | +5.9% |
| 2026-03-26 | $117.26 | +3.4% |
| 2026-03-25 | $113.39 | −1.0% |
| 2026-03-24 | $114.54 | +3.6% |
| 2026-03-23 | $110.56 | −9.0% |
| 2026-03-20 | $121.43 | +3.5% |
| 2026-03-19 | $117.36 | −3.5% |
| 2026-03-18 | $121.67 | +2.4% |
| 2026-03-17 | $118.84 | +3.3% |
| 2026-03-16 | $115.03 | −4.1% |
| 2026-03-13 | $119.89 | +1.3% |
| 2026-03-12 | $118.39 | +9.6% |
| 2026-03-11 | $108.05 | +2.1% |
| 2026-03-10 | $105.86 | +1.5% |
| 2026-03-09 | $104.33 | −4.1% |
| 2026-03-06 | $108.77 | +12.9% |
| 2026-03-05 | $96.31 | +5.2% |
| 2026-03-04 | $91.56 | +1.5% |
| 2026-03-03 | $90.20 | +3.5% |
| 2026-03-02 | $87.19 | +6.4% |
| 2026-02-27 | $81.95 | +2.7% |
| 2026-02-26 | $79.77 | +0.1% |
| 2026-02-25 | $79.73 | −1.3% |
| 2026-02-24 | $80.76 | −0.2% |
| 2026-02-23 | $80.90 | +0.1% |
| 2026-02-20 | $80.85 | −0.4% |
| 2026-02-19 | $81.19 | +2.3% |
| 2026-02-18 | $79.40 | +4.8% |
| 2026-02-17 | $75.73 | −0.6% |
| 2026-02-13 | $76.22 | −0.2% |
| 2026-02-12 | $76.38 | −3.2% |
| 2026-02-11 | $78.89 | +1.1% |
| 2026-02-10 | $78.03 | 0.0% |
| 2026-02-09 | $78.02 | +1.3% |
| 2026-02-06 | $76.99 | +0.4% |
| 2026-02-05 | $76.69 | −1.5% |
| 2026-02-04 | $77.88 | +0.5% |
| 2026-02-03 | $77.47 | +2.8% |
| 2026-02-02 | $75.33 | −5.3% |
| 2026-01-30 | $79.52 | +0.5% |
| 2026-01-29 | $79.14 | +3.3% |
| 2026-01-28 | $76.62 | +1.3% |
| 2026-01-27 | $75.66 | +3.0% |
| 2026-01-26 | $73.48 | −0.6% |
| 2026-01-23 | $73.95 | +3.0% |
| 2026-01-22 | $71.82 | −2.1% |
| 2026-01-21 | $73.34 | +2.1% |
| 2026-01-20 | $71.86 | +0.3% |
| 2026-01-16 | $71.65 | +0.7% |
| 2026-01-15 | $71.13 | −2.0% |
| 2026-01-14 | $72.61 | −1.2% |
| 2026-01-13 | $73.48 | +2.6% |
| 2026-01-12 | $71.65 | +1.2% |
| 2026-01-09 | $70.78 | +0.3% |
| 2026-01-08 | $70.54 | +4.1% |
| 2026-01-07 | $67.79 | −1.1% |
| 2026-01-06 | $68.51 | −2.4% |
| 2026-01-05 | $70.22 | +1.8% |
| 2026-01-02 | $68.96 |
USO's Oct. 22 close of $162.51 was its highest of 2026, nearly double its $81.95 close on Feb. 27.Prices Source: Tiingo end-of-day closes, as traded, via KeyVex.
What the reporting says is behind the move
"Reports suggest President Trump is considering fresh strikes on Iran," ING commodity strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote in a note, OilPrice.com reported. They added that the US is deploying a second aircraft carrier to the region.OilPrice Saudi Aramco told staff to evacuate its Dhahran headquarters after a series of attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels, Reuters reported, according to CNBC.CNBC Libya's national oil company reported a pipeline shutdown that cut output at two fields, OilPrice.com reported.OilPrice
Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed that seven tankers were hit near the Strait of Hormuz on Oct. 22. Trump said Iran is "making up fake hits, mines, and everything else," as KeyVex reported on the morning of Oct. 23.CNBC
Not every measure is at a high. Brent was on track for a 4.4% weekly gain, its third straight, while US crude futures were on track for a 0.2% weekly decline, CNBC reported.CNBC ING's strategists said their earlier forecast of an $80 average for Brent in the fourth quarter now looked "unattainable," OilPrice.com reported.OilPrice
How Washington has used the reserve
In March, the US agreed to lend 172 million barrels from the reserve as part of a 400-million-barrel release by members of the International Energy Agency, Reuters reported.Reuters The Energy Department calls it "the 172-million-barrel release previously announced by President Trump."DOE
The loans are exchanges: companies take oil now and return it later with extra "premium" barrels, the department says. By Sept. 29, it said, five earlier offers had awarded more than 133 million barrels across four completed exchanges, and it offered up to 40 million more.DOE
the United States continues to lead the coordinated efforts to stabilize oil markets for the benefit of Americans and people around the world
Wright also said several European member countries had released "only a fraction" of what they pledged.DOE
Not every offer has found takers. In June, companies required to return up to 24% extra barrels agreed to borrow only about 500,000 barrels from the batch offered, Reuters reported.Reuters
View the data
| Week ending | Oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-16 | 282.7M |
| 2026-10-09 | 283M |
| 2026-10-02 | 283M |
| 2026-09-25 | 283.8M |
| 2026-09-18 | 284.6M |
| 2026-09-11 | 285M |
| 2026-09-04 | 285.4M |
| 2026-08-28 | 286.6M |
| 2026-08-21 | 289.7M |
| 2026-08-14 | 293.4M |
| 2026-08-07 | 298.7M |
| 2026-07-31 | 304.8M |
| 2026-07-24 | 307.7M |
| 2026-07-17 | 311.4M |
| 2026-07-10 | 316.5M |
| 2026-07-03 | 319.5M |
| 2026-06-26 | 325.7M |
| 2026-06-19 | 331.2M |
| 2026-06-12 | 340.3M |
| 2026-06-05 | 349.2M |
| 2026-05-29 | 357.1M |
| 2026-05-22 | 365.1M |
| 2026-05-15 | 374.2M |
| 2026-05-08 | 384.1M |
| 2026-05-01 | 392.7M |
| 2026-04-24 | 397.9M |
| 2026-04-17 | 405M |
| 2026-04-10 | 409.2M |
| 2026-04-03 | 413.3M |
| 2026-03-27 | 415.1M |
| 2026-03-20 | 415.4M |
| 2026-03-13 | 415.4M |
| 2026-03-06 | 415.4M |
| 2026-02-27 | 415.4M |
| 2026-02-20 | 415.4M |
| 2026-02-13 | 415.4M |
| 2026-02-06 | 415.2M |
| 2026-01-30 | 415.2M |
| 2026-01-23 | 415M |
| 2026-01-16 | 414.5M |
| 2026-01-09 | 413.7M |
| 2026-01-02 | 413.5M |
Source: US Energy Information Administration, weekly crude oil ending stocks in the SPR (WCSSTUS1).EIA The week ending Oct. 16 is the latest; the next count is due Oct. 28.
What it costs at the pump
US regular gasoline averaged $4.28 a gallon in the week of Oct. 19, EIA's weekly survey shows, up from $2.94 in the week before the war began.EIAKeyVex data
Early trading on Oct. 23
At 9:36 a.m. Eastern, the United States Oil Fund was up 2.7% from its Oct. 22 close, an energy-stock fund (XLE) was up 0.8% and an airline-stock fund (JETS) was down 2.8%, in quotes from a single exchange.Prices
Who in the House traded oil stocks
KeyVex checked 13 oil companies and two oil funds. In them, House members disclosed 26 trades dated since the war began, in Exxon, Chevron, Devon Energy, Marathon Petroleum and the energy-stock fund, not counting exchanges recorded for a merger or a name change. KeyVex checked each against its filing. Twenty-three were sales and three were purchases.PTRPTRPTRKeyVex data Half were in the smallest range members report, $1,001 to $15,000. They disclosed none in the other nine companies, among them ConocoPhillips, Occidental and Valero. KeyVex's data also lists Senate trades in these stocks, but the Senate's disclosure site refused KeyVex's requests on Oct. 23, so they could not be checked against their filings and are not counted.
Among the oil stocks KeyVex checked, the largest seller was Rep. Kevin Hern, an Oklahoma Republican on the Ways and Means Committee. From Aug. 31 to Sept. 23, accounts he holds jointly with his spouse, a family foundation and a family trust, sold Devon, Exxon and Chevron shares. His IRA sold Devon shares too, on Aug. 31. By the ranges he filed, those nine sales came to $510,009 to $1.3 million.PTRPTR The same filings list sales across dozens of other stocks: his Sept. 25 report alone holds 99 transactions in more than 40 securities, from Lockheed Martin to Walmart, including sales of the pipeline companies ONEOK and Pembina. They don't say why he sold.PTR
| Traded | Stock | Type | Amount | Owner | Disclosed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept. 23, 2026 | DVN | Sell | $50,001 - $100,000 | Family foundation | Oct. 13, 2026 | PTR |
| Sept. 23, 2026 | DVN | Sell | $15,001 - $50,000 | Family trust | Oct. 13, 2026 | PTR |
| Sept. 23, 2026 | CVX | Sell | $15,001 - $50,000 | Family foundation | Oct. 13, 2026 | PTR |
| Sept. 14, 2026 | DVN | Sell | $15,001 - $50,000 | Family foundation | Sept. 25, 2026 | PTR |
| Sept. 4, 2026 | DVN | Sell | $100,001 - $250,000 | Family trust | Sept. 25, 2026 | PTR |
| Sept. 2, 2026 | DVN | Sell | $100,001 - $250,000 | Family trust | Sept. 25, 2026 | PTR |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | XOM | Sell | $100,001 - $250,000 | Family foundation | Sept. 25, 2026 | PTR |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | DVN | Sell | $100,001 - $250,000 | Family foundation | Sept. 25, 2026 | PTR |
Not shown: a $15,001 to $50,000 sale of Devon from his IRA on Aug. 31.PTR KeyVex's data had missed his Sept. 2 Devon sale; the filing has it.
What comes next
Deliveries under the loans already awarded are scheduled for November and December, the Energy Department said.DOE EIA's next count of what is left in the reserve comes Oct. 28.EIA
What to watch
EIA's next weekly US gasoline price.
EIA's next weekly count of oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
The US midterm elections, which Trump tied to Iran and oil prices.
Deliveries scheduled under the Energy Department's loans already awarded.
Related coverage
Sources
27 sources, 16 of them public records
Public records
- "The United States Energy Department Continues Execution of Strategic Reserve Release Commitments"US Department of Energy · Sept. 29, 2026
- "Energy Department Issues RFP to Advance President Trump's 172-Million-Barrel Strategic Petroleum Reserve Exchange"US Department of Energy · June 10, 2026
- Weekly US crude oil ending stocks in the SPR (WCSSTUS1)US Energy Information Administration · through the week ending Oct. 16, 2026
- US regular gasoline retail price, all formulations, weeklyUS Energy Information Administration · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 20035491Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 20035588Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 20034207Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 20034897Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 20035146Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 20035549Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 20034998Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 20035047Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 20034807Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 20035562Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 9115728Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
- Periodic Transaction Report, filing 9115821Clerk of the US House of Representatives · 2026
Rules and references
- Strategic Petroleum ReserveUS Department of Energy · accessed Oct. 23, 2026
Reporting
- "Iran says seven ships hit in Hormuz Strait, warns US of wider response"Al Jazeera · Oct. 22, 2026
- "U.S. oil rises above $100, Brent at five-month high as Iran says it's prepared for warfare" (Chloe Taylor)CNBC · Oct. 23, 2026
- Live updates: Brent crude hits five-month highFox News · Oct. 23, 2026
- "Oil little changed as supply concern lingers amid Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia" (Reuters)CNBC · Oct. 23, 2026
- "Brent Hits $114 as Houthi Attacks Threaten Saudi Energy Infrastructure" (Irina Slav)OilPrice.com · Oct. 23, 2026
- "U.S. Offers Another 17 Million SPR Barrels as Fuel Crisis Deepens" (Julianne Geiger)OilPrice.com · Oct. 16, 2026
- "US solicits exchange of up to 17 million barrels of oil from strategic reserve" (Reuters)BOE Report · Oct. 16, 2026
Data
- Economic indicators: EIA energy seriesKeyVex · through Oct. 19, 2026
- Congressional trades in XOM, CVX, COP, OXY, EOG, SLB, DVN, HAL, MPC, VLO, PSX, FANG, APA, XLE and USO since Feb. 28, 2026KeyVex · Oct. 23, 2026
- Daily closes and intraday quotes for USO, XLE and JETS (Tiingo)KeyVex · Oct. 23, 2026
How we got these numbers
- Brent and US crude futures prices are as CNBC and Fox News reported them on the morning of Oct. 23.
- The reserve's level is EIA's weekly count of crude oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (WCSSTUS1), in thousands of barrels: 415,441 in the week ending Feb. 27 and 282,683 in the week ending Oct. 16, a drop of 132,758 thousand barrels, or 32%. The lowest week in the series before Oct. 16 at or below that level was the week ending Oct. 15, 1982 (280,802). The chart shows tenths of a million.
- Congress trades: KeyVex pulled every congressional trade it holds, by transaction date from Feb. 28 to Oct. 23, in the 13 oil companies and two oil funds listed in Sources, and checked each House row against its Periodic Transaction Report. The two paper filings were read by eye. Exchanges recorded because a company changed its name or merged are not trades and are not counted. The Senate's disclosure site refused KeyVex's requests on Oct. 23, so Senate trades could not be checked against their filings and are left out. Hern's total adds the low and high ends of the ranges he filed for his nine oil-stock sales.
- Intraday moves compare a single-venue (IEX) quote, at the time stated, with each security's Oct. 22 close, from KeyVex (Tiingo). The lead chart is USO's daily close as traded. Its filings layer, off by default, shows the same selection of KeyVex filings as its stock page, not every filing.
- The header image was generated for KeyVex by an image model. It is an illustration, not a photograph of a real place or event.
