US strategic reserves down to 40% as Brent hits $97

US strategic reserves down to 40%: Brent at $97 and winter knocking at the door

With winter just around the corner, the United States' strategic petroleum reserves keep falling. According to the latest data, only 40% of the stockpile remains, while Brent trades at $97 a barrel. The war with Iran remains deadlocked, with mutual attacks and a new episode: Washington has bombed three Iranian oil tankers. The situation is tense, and fuel prices reflect it.

Diesel prices hit records in the US, and diesel in Spain approaches 2 euros

In the United States, the average diesel price has reached an all-time high of $5.85 per gallon. In Spain, diesel is hovering around 2 euros including discounts, according to some consumers. The pressure on fuel is evident, and the drop in strategic reserves is not helping.

The Venezuela deal: solution or handover of oil to Washington?

Against this backdrop, the Trump administration has struck a deal with Venezuela promising access to 65 billion barrels. However, the fine print reveals contradictions: while interim president Delcy Rodríguez speaks of a 25-year contract, the White House confirms concessions lasting a century. The price: $19 per barrel, with a veto right for Washington and its own courts. Analyst Luis Britto García calls it "perpetual robbery". The reality is that the US becomes master and lord of Venezuelan oil, while Caracas gets a promise of payment and a signature without elections to back it.

The question is whether this deal will offset the decline in strategic reserves. Some analysts point out that the problem runs deeper: when reserves fall to 20%, extraction in salt mines becomes unviable due to the risk of collapses. With Brent at $97 and the war deadlocked, the equation does not add up. And as the saying goes: "come Monday they'll make up again", but in the meantime, winter is approaching.