Emergency global stockpile oil coming soon, IEA says

Emergency oil reserves ​from Asia and Oceania ‌will be available immediately, the International Energy ‌Agency says as it details the release of stockpiles.

Mar 16, 2026, updated Mar 16, 2026
Governments have committed to make available 271.7 million barrels of oil ‌from government stocks.
Governments have committed to make available 271.7 million barrels of oil ‌from government stocks.

More than 400 million barrels of oil from International Energy Agency emergency reserves will begin flowing soon, the ‌agency says in its most detailed account of the rollout of the plan to combat ‌a spike in crude prices since the start of the Iran war.

Stocks from Asia ‌and Oceania countries will be available immediately and stocks from Europe and the Americas will be available at the end of March, the agency said on Sunday, four days after the agreement was announced.

Governments have committed to make available 271.7 million barrels of oil ‌from government stocks, ‌116.6 million ⁠barrels from obligated industry stocks and 23.6 million barrels from other ​sources, the statement said.

The bulk of the pledged reserves – 195.8 million barrels – are from member countries in the Americas, 172.2 million of that from government stocks, the IEA said.

Asia and Oceania member countries have committed to contribute 108.6 million barrels, 66.8 million of that from government stocks, ⁠and Europe has pledged 107.5 million ‌barrels, including ​32.7 million from government stocks.

The IEA statement said that 72 per cent of planned releases are ​in the form ‌of crude oil and 28 per cent are oil products.

Governments of 32 countries co-ordinate their strategic oil ​stockpiles through the IEA, which was formed in 1974 after the oil crisis.

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This is the sixth co-ordinated stockpile release since the agency’s creation.

The release is ​aimed ​at combating a spike in oil ​prices caused by disruptions to about a fifth ‌of global oil and gas supply along the Strait of Hormuz since the war began February 28, according to the IEA.

Iran said on Wednesday the world should be ready for oil at $US200 a barrel as its forces continue to hit merchant ships ​on the strait.

IEA members hold emergency stockpiles of more than 1.2 billion barrels, with ​another 600 million ⁠in industry stocks held under government obligation.

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