Explainer: How long can India's emergency oil reserves last
India's Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) are basically our emergency stash of crude oil, managed by ISPRL.
These underground caverns hold enough oil—along with what's kept at refineries and ports—to cover about 74 days of the country's needs if global supplies get disrupted.
Where are the reserves located?
The reserves sit deep underground in massive salt caverns at Visakhapatnam, Mangalore, and Padur.
Right now, they're about three-quarters full, holding a little over 4 million metric tons of crude.
Are we at the global benchmark of 90 days?
Not quite yet. India uses around 55 lakh barrels of oil every day.
The SPR alone covers just under 10 days; add refinery stocks and we reach 74 days—still short of the international safety benchmark of 90 days.
What is India doing to increase storage capacity?
To close the gap, India is planning to build even more storage in places like Chandikhol and expand Padur.
Once done, the SPR alone would cover about 21 "buffer" days—bringing us closer to that global standard for energy security.