Reply #38: I agree oil is indispensible.

[Statistical]

However MOST of the oil is used in methods that it could be easily be replaced.

There is a difference between the planet needing oil (in some quantity) and saying the planet needs to burn oil to produce steam or power an internal combustion engine.

As the price of oil rises it will become more and more obvious that oil is off the charts valuable and it is STUPID to burn it to produce energy, given that we have other cheaper methods to produce energy.

Same reason we don't burn rare earth elements to power generators, or use tons of gold as solder for common water pipes. Scarcity will cause areas where oil be replaced.... TO BE REPLACED.

The earth needs oil. No doubt about that and people who say otherwise are living in a universe powered by unicorn poop. The earth doesn't need to burn oil to produce energy.