U.S. may seek IEA’s emergency gasoline supplies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Bush administration was considering asking the International Energy Agency to release emergency gasoline and diesel fuel inventories into the U.S. market after Hurricanes Ike and Gustav disrupted domestic supplies, a cabinet official said on Wednesday.

U.S. Energy Secretary Sam Bodman told reporters that the Bush administration could decide as early as Wednesday afternoon whether to make the request to the International Energy Agency.


“It would be to provide refined products,” Bodman said following a speech to the National Petroleum Council.

“The real need on a macro basis, from the country’s standpoint, is the availability of refined product…gasoline and diesel, but largely gasoline,” he said.

The federal Energy Information Administration reported earlier on Wednesday that U.S. gasoline inventories were at their lowest level since 1990.

Reuters