由于飓风“伊万”的影响，石油消耗大国美国减少了石油进口数量，再加上墨西哥湾石油生产基本停止，美国不得不动用战略石油储备，向巧妇难为无米之炊的炼油厂提供“石油借贷”。
外电报道如下：
U.S. oil prices slipped below $48 on Thursday on expectations that the United States might loan some crude to U.S. refiners from its strategic petroleum reserve after weather-related disruptions led to a big dip in supplies.
Strategic petroleum reserve的意思是“战略性石油储备”。和reserve连用的词组还有：uranium reserve（铀储量）；flexible reserve（弹性准备）；war reserve（军需储备品）；workable reserves（可采储量).
