Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)
"Underground crude oil storage facilities maintained by India at three locations (Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru, Padur) with a total capacity of 5.33 MMT, providing approximately 9.5 days of consumption buffer."
India's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) is an emergency crude oil storage system designed to cushion the country against supply disruptions, price shocks, and geopolitical crises affecting oil imports. India imports approximately 88-89% of its crude oil requirements, making it acutely vulnerable to supply disruptions — particularly through the Strait of Hormuz. Phase I facilities (completed 2015-2018): - Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh: 1.33 MMT - Mangaluru, Karnataka: 1.5 MMT - Padur, Karnataka: 2.5 MMT - Total: 5.33 MMT (~9.5 days of consumption) Phase II: 6.5 MMT proposed at Chandikhol (Odisha) and Padur (Karnataka) via PPP mode. Managed by ISPRL (Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd), a subsidiary of ONGC. Storage type: underground rock caverns.
High-frequency Prelims topic (locations, capacity, managing body). Mains relevance in GS3 (energy security, import dependence).
- 1 Phase I: Visakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), Mangaluru (1.5 MMT), Padur (2.5 MMT) = 5.33 MMT
- 2 Phase II: 6.5 MMT at Chandikhol + Padur via PPP
- 3 Managing body: ISPRL (subsidiary of ONGC)
- 4 Storage: Underground rock caverns
- 5 Coverage: ~9.5 days of consumption (Phase I)
- 6 India crude import dependence: ~88-89%
- 7 Comparison: US SPR ~700 million barrels; China ~500 million barrels
During the March 2026 Iran-US conflict, India's SPR 9.5-day buffer proved insufficient, underscoring the need for Phase II completion.