Do you think the Earth will ever run out of oil?

Question

With the demand for electricity, technology and the works I have always wondered if it will ever run out.

Answer 1

We will run out but I won't be around to see it happen.

Answer 2

The present estimate, based on the estimated total amount of crude oil on Earth and its continually increasing demand, is that by 2030 Earth will be in critical crisis demand of oil. This however does not take into account the slow and socio-politically unpredictable move toward alternative fuel sources!

Answer 3

If you killed every living thing on this planet today, buried them and came back when they had turned to "oil", you would have about enough oil to supply the energy needs of one family for one year ... if that.

It took several millions, even billions, of years and billions of animals being swept by Spring floods into lakes or bogs, being covered by silt and processed by non-aerobic bacteria to create the oil deposits.

We have burned 50% of all known reserves in less than 100 years. And on top of that the human population is growing unchecked (no natural predators & increasing llifespan), therefore, even using less oil per person, the overall rate of consumption will continue to climb due to the increase in the number of people on Earth over the next century.

Yes, the Earth will run out of oil ... but who cares? ... burning only half of it has created a planet wide environmental disaster which could cause an extinction event comparable or worse than the extinction of the dinosaurs.

I wish I were an insect, the next dominant species on this planet will likely be some form of insect. Hopefully I've done enough bad things that karma will bring me back as an insect in my next life.

P.S. Coal and coal tar are from plants, oil is from animals.

Answer 4

No, _The Earth_ will never _run out_ of oil. Oil is the result of thousands of years of decomposition of organic residues (mostely vegetable matter, usually). As such, through organic and geophysical processes oil is constantly being produced.

HOWEVER!
Humans _will_ run out of oil (current estimates are within 50-200 years). The oil we have excavated from the earth has been building up since before the dinosaurs even existed. It will take thousands of years before natural processes even begin to replenish the deposits, and millions before they are completely restored.

Answer 5

yes we will run out of petroleum eventually. the way it is made is by fossils being compacted by the earth over millions of years. with no way to speed up this process, we can't renew it. this is why it is so important to find alternative energy sources to power our homes and cars. Current sources are wind power, ethanol based fuels (from corn), electric powered cars, fuel cells, hydrogen, to name a few.

also, we're not going to run out of water because it is a renewable resource and makes up about 75% of our planet. the problem is when the sun will run out, because earth is sustained by the heat we receive from the sun. experts estimate that the sun is halfway through its lifespan, so we have another few billion years before catastrophe strikes.

Answer 6

Yes of course, it is a limited resource? We will run out of water one day and the earths core most likely will freeze. This could be a million years from know or 1000 who knows?

Answer 7

Yes, and soon. We use more oil than the Earth produces, so it is a matter of time

Answer 8

Of course the Earth will....it is only a matter of time that is the issue.

Answer 9

yessssssssssss but hopefully not soon lol

Answer 10

no...