U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman said on Friday that a Mississippi site has been chosen as the preferred alternative to expand the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to 1 billion barrels.

"The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a national asset that can be used in cases of severe disruption supply. As our nation's use of crude oil increases, so too must our reserve supply, so by preparing to expand the capacity of our Strategic Petroleum Reserve we will be able to accomplish just that," Bodman said.

In addition to new site in southeast Mississippi, the Energy Department also proposes to expand capacity at three existing SPR sites: Big Hill in Texas, and Bayou Choctaw and West Hackberry in Louisiana to meet the goal of 1 billion barrels, said the ministry in a statement.

As an inland site, the new reserve will have less vulnerability to hurricane impacts and will be connected by pipeline to the Capline pipeline system and to refiners and marine facilities in Pascagoula for oil distribution, said the statement

This new site, coupled with additional storage at the existing three SPR sites, will ensure an adequate crude oil emergency reserve, it added.

Source: Xinhua