06/18/2026
Cushing, Oklahoma crude inventories have fallen to their lowest level since October 2014 according to the latest data.
Eight consecutive weekly draws have pushed stocks just above the roughly 20 million barrel level widely viewed as the hub’s functional “tank bottom.” Cushing is a key U.S. oil storage hub and serves as the physical settlement point for West Texas Intermediate futures.
While total capacity is near 90 million barrels, headline storage figures may overstate usable supply, as a portion of remaining crude can include sludge or material that is difficult to move operationally.
The drawdown is part of a broader decline in U.S. crude inventories. The Department of Energy report showed a national crude drawdown of 8.26 million barrels, compared with a consensus estimate of 3.5 million barrels.
Source: The Deep Dive