Comment by logifail

> The existence of a strategic reserve shouldn't have an effect on the supply of helium except in an emergency.

Is there a widely-accepted definition of "an emergency" in the context of strategic reserves?

[Thinking of the SPR] "Oil/gas prices are currently higher due to geopolitical events, my [potential] voters are getting increasingly unhappy, and there is an election soon" would probably constitute an "an emergency" in the mind of a typical politician and his/her advisors.

Whether eg the SPR was created to (indirectly) help politicians keep their jobs is debatable.