Now oil buyers are clamoring for cheaper contracts before the United States releases the 172 million barrels of oil.
The contracts for that oil, the last drops of which are expected to reach the market at the end of May, are to be structured as loans that buyers will then repay to the United States government with interest.
Repayments are to be made by September 2028.
The 172 million barrels of oil are the United States' share of a total of 400 million barrels that the member countries of the International Energy Agency (IEA) have agreed to release.
Sweden contributes two million barrels.
