1Making oil requires a specific series of geological accidents over
2inconceivable amounts of time. First, organicrich sediment needs to
3be burried faster than it can decay. Then the stuff needs to get pushed
4miles down into the earths crust to be cooked slowly. Burried too
5deep or cooked too fast and the organic molecules burn off;
6trapped too shallow or not for long enough and the muck never
7turns into oil. Finally, an impermeable layer needs to seal the
8oil in a porous layer of rock from which it can be recovered. Then
9somebody has to find it and get it out of the ground. It takes
10millions of years to produce a barrel of oil; we use millions of
11barrels a day. There is no question that we will run out of oil
12the only question is when.
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