I wasn't aware of it before I saw articles talking about how we are using so much of the SPR currently. But apparently using so much of it actually can cause the caves/caverns to warp and start various chunks of the walls to fall. So even if it isn't factually about to run out, it is a big issue to be creating the "emergency" requiring pulling from it.

I guess it is a big win for the private companies that get the sellers market in government needing to fill it back up (and of course basically double-dip in profits from higher prices for normal use).