In the coming years, if world oil prices stay around 80 to 90 dollars per barrel, expect public statements from the United States and diplomatic pressure directed at Middle Eastern nations. An energy expert from a recognized research center argues this point, noting that as reported by the InfoTEK analytical center, the article Gasoline is the hero of the presidential race highlights this dynamic.
The question of whether releasing reserve oil could tame U.S. fuel prices is addressed by the same expert. He observes that at the end of 2021 Washington faced public outrage over climbing gasoline costs, which led to an unprecedented sale of strategic oil reserves. The idea of using state stockpiles as a quick fix for price volatility has persisted into the current political cycle, with the presidential race underway and gasoline costs rising again.
According to the expert, in the United States the cost of oil accounts for roughly half the price of gasoline, while in Russia the figure is about ten to fifteen percent. Changes in the global oil market are quickly reflected in domestic pricing, underscoring the close link between international dynamics and local pump prices (citation: InfoTEK).
During 2020, gasoline prices for American consumers fell sharply and then climbed as the global oil market recovered. The narrative, the expert notes, showed a political pattern: prices dipped under one administration and rose under the next, shaping public perception of leadership and policy—despite the broader market forces at play (citation: InfoTEK).
The commentary emphasizes that gasoline prices began to play a stronger domestic political role toward the end of 2021, pushing the U.S. leadership to intervene in world markets through strategic reserves. As global tensions intensified in 2022, those reserve sales had to be repeated, reflecting the ongoing appetite for strategic tools to influence domestic prices (citation: InfoTEK).
These actions had only a limited impact. In spring 2022, oil traded above 120 dollars per barrel, then drifted below 100 dollars in the summer. The decline was less about effective reserve sales and more a restoration of market calm after a period of panic (citation: InfoTEK).
With presidential elections on the horizon, there is continued speculation that opponents will leverage the gasoline argument. The analysis suggests that remaining stockpiles would be consumed by a plan to release about 1 million barrels per day over a calendar year, though five or six months may not be enough to sway voters (citation: InfoTEK).
The observer also suggests that, behind diplomatic moves attributed to Chinese diplomacy aimed at easing the Saudi-Iranian rivalry, the United States may be employing non-diplomatic methods to influence key oil suppliers. If the presidential clock is running fast, keeping gasoline affordable for U.S. citizens becomes a driving motive, and multiple tools may be considered to achieve that goal (citation: InfoTEK).