When and why was the SPR created?
Oil embargo of 1973-1974 which cut off oil supply to the US and caused prices to rise (Crow 1993)
Constructed between June and July of 1977
Filling began in July of 1977
Supply originally projected to last 100 days
Currently supply projected to last 53 days
Figure 3. Pumps Closed (Corbis.com, n/a)