[norraad]

Think of it this way.

Say water is the blood of the planet and oil is like the lymph system.

In terms of scale that's about right.

The x{=has been}~spurts{drip under pressure} are very ignorant of the real nature of petroleum (from the Latin ~ rock oil).

Get it?

It's rock oil!

The Earth makes it in quantizer we'll never ever put a dent in, . . ever.

That's why all the estimates always have to be revised upward.

It's under pressure from deep down and is always looking for ways to come up.

If we didn't use some of it, it would be all over the place, like in Jed's swamp.

[HKMk23]

Thomas Gold promoted the deep source theory of oil.

Good overview and some links here:
http://www.semp.us/biots/biot_182.html

[Old Student]

"Get it?

It's rock oil!

The Earth makes it in quantizer we'll never ever put a dent in, . . ever."

I know what it is. I know, generally, the theory of how it is produced, and from what. I also know that there are other theories, as well. I also know that some oil fields have dried up. My point was not that we'll run out of oil, or not run out of oil, it was that gasoline, made from oil, is not necessarily the best source of energy. Nor is it the worst. What is best depends on circumstances and resources. If you've got lots of oil, and little land to grow corn (or sugar cane, as the Brazilians do) you use oil. If you've got lots of land, and no oil, you use ethanol. If you have neither, you either trade or you're screwed.

Since no one KNOWS which theory is right on the availability of crude oil, and I do know something of what is required to actually understand the details of the theories, I stated that I'm not up for evaluating them. My degree is in education, particularly social studies. What is yours? Unless it's chemistry, or geophysics, or something similar, or equivalent knowledge, you aren't either. Personally, I'm inclined to wait and see, not jump on any particular bandwagon.