[DannyTN]

""It is important that we know where the plates existed many millions of years ago, and how they broke apart, as the regions where plates break are often where we find major oil and gas deposits, such as those that are found along Australia's southern margin.""

Doesn't that argue against oil and gas being "fossil" fuels and more for substances naturally produced by a break. I can think of no reason why fossil fuels should occur near a break.

[Flag_This]

"I can think of no reason why fossil fuels should occur near a break."

If you've ever watched documentaries like "One Million Years B.C." you would see that when the earthquakes occurred, the dinosaurs always fell into the resultant cracks. Science.

[Strategerist]

Doesn't that argue against oil and gas being "fossil" fuels and more for substances naturally produced by a break. I can think of no reason why fossil fuels should occur near a break.

The shallow seas in an area where there's a new continental rift are perfect places for the plankton that forms oil deposits to build up in sediments. The oil deposits aren't directly caused by the rifting process.