World Leaders Eye Oil Reserves, But Hold Off On Tapping Them

A widening war in Iran has halted oil tankers, made targets of refineries, and spooked investors worried about the cascading impact of spiking energy prices.

If it might seem like the ideal time to dip into the world's emergency oil stockpiles, global leaders have so far responded with reluctance.

Here is a look at the energy supplies that countries hold and when they tap them:

Since war erupted in the Middle East in late February, with U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, the flow of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz has all but stopped, cutting off a vital passageway for a huge amount of the world's oil. That has sent prices of oil soaring.