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More Assurance Is Needed That Strategic Petroleum Reserve Oil Can Be Withdrawn as Designed

RCED-85-104 Published: Sep 27, 1985. Publicly Released: Sep 27, 1985.
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Highlights

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO conducted a review to determine whether the Department of Energy (DOE) will be able to withdraw Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) oil at the designed rate and sustain that rate over time. DOE has been implementing a three-phase plan to develop a 750-million barrel SPR at six sites in Louisiana and Texas, of which 483.5 million barrels were in storage.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Energy To ensure that the SPR system has the capability to provide a readily available supply of oil, the Secretary of Energy should direct the Manager, Oak Ridge Operations Office, to conduct further tests of SPR that allow an assessment of its capability to meet design drawdown goals while recognizing the trade-off between cost and the level of assurance gained.
Closed – Implemented
The Secretary of Energy directed that drawdown tests be conducted. The tests are in the process of being completed.
Department of Energy To ensure that the SPR system has the capability to provide a readily available supply of oil, the Secretary of Energy should direct the Manager, Oak Ridge Operations Office, to ensure that measures are taken at all sites to: (1) assess the ability of pipelines/piping to withstand drawdown-related pressure levels; and (2) protect the pipelines/piping systems from future restrictions and/or corrosion.
Closed – Implemented
Action was completed in testing SPR pipelines to detect any corrosion that would limit the flow of oil or water needed for drawdown. Anticorrosion protective devices were installed as necessary.
Department of Energy To ensure that the SPR system has the capability to provide a readily available supply of oil, the Secretary of Energy should direct the Manager, Oak Ridge Operations Office, to test the raw water systems to ensure that drawdown is not limited by inadequate water supplies, after making the planned modifications to the Bryan Mound and West Hackberry raw water lines and the intake channel at Bryan Mound.
Closed – Implemented
DOE modified the raw water systems at Bryan Mound and West Hackberry. Tests of the drawdown system at these sites indicated that Bryan Mound would be able to meet its drawdown rate, but West Hackberry would not. DOE consequently revised the West Hackberry rate to reflect actual capabilities and plans to increase drawdown capacity at other sites to be able to meet the overall drawdown goal.
Department of Energy To ensure that the SPR system has the capability to provide a readily available supply of oil, the Secretary of Energy should direct the Manager, Oak Ridge Operations Office, to ensure that ongoing work on the logistics support and automated control systems is satisfactorily completed and that the systems function as designed.
Closed – Implemented
Work on the automated system has been completed and tested. All discrepancies identified in the test were corrected and the system has been accepted by the operating contractor.

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Topics

Crude oil pipeline operationsEmergency preparednessFuel suppliesOil resourcesPetroleum storageProgram managementStrategic materialsCorrosionPipeline operationsStrategic petroleum reserves