Diesel
Diesel is a type of fuel used in Diesel engines. It is heavier than regular unleaded gasoline and has a higher ignition point. Diesel is primarily derived from petroleum, but is increasingly made from biological sources (biodiesel). Diesel engines are generally more fuel-efficient and powerful than their unleaded gasoline counterparts, hence their use in military, construction, and heavy transportation equipment.
In June 2022, news reports indicated that the United States had only 8 weeks' supply of diesel fuel remaining.[1]
In late June 2026, it was reported that the United States had only 13-18 days' supply of diesel remaining.[2] A tanker from a replacement crude oil source takes longer than 13 days to arrive. A refinery turnaround takes longer than 13 days to complete. The 13-day figure is a national average, which means some regions have more and some have less. The Southeast is particularly exposed, being heavily dependent on the Colonial Pipeline, which is itself a single point of failure that demonstrated its criticality when it was shut down for six days in 2021.[3]