IEA holds Emergency Response Exercises to strengthen global oil security

Over 100 delegates, representing countries around the world, convened at the IEA headquarters in Paris on 19 November. Representatives from IEA member countries were joined by participants from across the IEA family including Argentina, Chile, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Moldova, Morocco and Thailand as well as key players from industry and international organisations.

The 10th iteration of the ERE placed a strong emphasis on fostering collaboration between member and non-member countries to address significant disruptions in global oil supplies. The exercise provided an ideal setting for exchanging knowledge, refining emergency response frameworks, and strengthening international cooperation in an era of heightened energy security challenges.

Over the past five decades, the IEA's oil emergency response mechanisms have proven to be a lynchpin of global oil markets. Since 1991, the IEA has coordinated five collective responses to major oil supply disruptions, bringing critical additional supplies to oil markets amid turbulence triggered by conflict, geopolitical uncertainty and extreme weather events.

In 2022, the IEA coordinated the largest collective response in its history with the release of just over 180 million barrels of oil in response to the market turmoil that followed Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. EREs are a key tool for training and preparing delegates to act swiftly and cooperate in oil supply disruptions.

The IEA remains steadfastly committed to ensuring oil security and emergency preparedness.