Here are the 3 key moments when the United States drew on their huge emergency oil reserves

Getty Images

The weekend attack on Saudi Arabia's main crude oil facilities could spark an event that has only happened three times in the past: an emergency release from the US strategic oil reserve.

President Donald Trump has stated that he has authorized the use of "SPR" in response to the attack "as needed" to maintain the oil markets

CLV19, -1.22%

BRNX19, -0.84%

and moderate price spikes that could harm consumers and businesses.

US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said Monday that it was premature to discuss the use of the reserve, which now contains about 645 million barrels of oil, according to the Department of Energy. l & # 39; Energy. The US crude stock would be the largest stockpile of this type in the world.

Although there were sales and exchanges for reasons of non-emergency, the RPS, created in the mid-1970s because of the embargo on Arab oil, was not used for emergency purposes only three times, in 1991, 2005 and 2011.

Here is an overview of each of these actions:

Now see: Why will Saudi Arabia's production not reach shocking prices at the gas pump.