The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is low. Here's why you should care

The U.S. has tapped into its strategic oil reserve to help drive down rising gasoline prices in the wake of the war with Iran. Can oil from Venezuela help fill it back up?

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5280x3956+0+0/resize/5280x3956!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F63%2F0a%2F41e0e8a0421882d549898cf146fc%2Fgettyimages-1434808195.jpg' alt='In an aerial view, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve storage at the Bryan Mound site is seen on October 19, 2022 in Freeport, Texas.'/><p>The U.S. has tapped into its strategic oil reserve to help drive down rising gasoline prices in the wake of the war with Iran. Can oil from Venezuela help fill it back up?</p><p>(Image credit: Brandon Bell)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5965797' />