Another look at the strategic petroleum reserve: Should its oil holdings be privatized?

The sharp increases in crude oil prices in the 1970`s unleashed a gusher of economic and policy analyses concerning energy security. A consensus emerged concerning the desirability of building and using a large stock of oil to cushion the effects of a sudden loss of oil supply. The author examines the validity of this large stock of oil considering changes in the oil market and whether the oil holdings of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve should be privatized. 12 refs.