Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

Fuel stocks and strategic reserves: Relationships

Every element and industry that Fuel stocks and strategic reserves is linked to, and how. Each pair has its own card explaining the relationships between the two.

  • Crude oil: Strategic reserves are crude held back for emergencies, so they are worth what crude is worth and matter most when supply breaks. IEA members must hold 90 days of net imports and in March 2026 agreed their largest ever release, 400 million barrels; India's caverns hold 5.33 Mt, about 9.5 days of need, within some 74 days of total cover. (researched)
  • Tankers, barges and fuel trucks: Energy flows from tankers, barges and fuel trucks to fuel stocks and strategic reserves; energy flows from fuel stocks and strategic reserves to tankers, barges and fuel trucks; their prices have moved together.
  • Coal transport: Energy flows from coal transport to fuel stocks and strategic reserves; energy flows from fuel stocks and strategic reserves to coal transport.
  • Gas pipelines and city gas: Energy flows from gas pipelines and city gas to fuel stocks and strategic reserves; energy flows from fuel stocks and strategic reserves to gas pipelines and city gas.
  • Natural gas: Fuel stocks and strategic reserves needs natural gas; their prices have moved together.
  • Oil and product pipelines: Energy flows from oil and product pipelines to fuel stocks and strategic reserves; energy flows from fuel stocks and strategic reserves to oil and product pipelines.
  • Refining and reforming: Energy flows from fuel stocks and strategic reserves to refining and reforming; their prices have moved together.
  • MTBE: Their prices have moved together.
  • Public administration, defence and security: Public administration, defence and security depends on fuel stocks and strategic reserves.
  • Steam turbines and thermal power plants: Energy flows from fuel stocks and strategic reserves to steam turbines and thermal power plants.
  • Thermal coal: Fuel stocks and strategic reserves needs thermal coal.
  • Unconventional oil and gas: Their prices have moved together.