We don't need oil anymore. Now what?



(a) the entire US/World infrastructure is engineered to process only one fuel - oil.The capital expenditure required to reconfigure all of the power
station, cars, planes, trains,
manaufacturing processes, domestic light and heating systems, would
run in to literally billions.

(b) the time line for all this reconfiguration would take literally years.

So the Middle East and other oil producing nations ultimately hold the upper hand - even if a new environmentally friendsly cheap source is found.

I like that you put a lot of thought in your post, but I have to disagree with what you're saying. Like, a) is completely untrue . There's no way domestic light or heating were dependent on oil - for instance, oil is responsible for merely 1% of electricity produced in the US. Very few nations actually use oil as a major source of electricity. Most trains don't run on oil, at least in developed countries (which are responsible for majority of global energy usage). Oil is king only in transportation, but the roads, bridges etc. themselves are not designed to run on oil, car engines are, and car, as a technology, is perfectly capable of adapting to another energy resource. Heck, electric cars are already a thing!
That brings us to your second fallacy: yes, replacing all this hardware would take years and cost billions, but we constantly replace them, anyway. Who of you would drive a 15 year old car? Also keep in mind that in richest countries, governments would support the transition, due to environmental concerns. Oil lobby will fight against this, but if unobtainium industry can outcome them economically, it's only a matter of time before it will have a powerful lobby of its own.
 
Middle East economies are preparing for the worst since they depended solely on money got from oil sales. I don't care about that as long as we are keen on making this world a better place. We have had enough of the fumes which have resulted to climate change and deaths. For now the world should focus on green technologies to cater for our energy needs. Many firms have started to invest on wind and solar energy which is recommended.
 
My intent was to get people to speculate what would happen in the mid-east. I would guess the western powers would move out. Probably not completely, but most of the interest in the region would be gone. Israel would be shitting bricks as would the Saudis, whose power and influence come from the black gold.

But again, if there was little western interest in the mid-east, what would happen in the region?
The Mideast would revert to a group of impoverished, backward nations. If America continued to support/protect Israel, things there wouldn't change much. The Arab states would probably bear a strong resemblance to the 1970's version of interior Africa...a bunch of gang run small nations rife with violence which the larger world would largely ignore.
 
Not the middle east, I think the america or US? what will happen to them. There're no more wars after that. They don't need to go to other country now with plenty of oil and start a war.
 
My intent was to get people to speculate what would happen in the mid-east. I would guess the western powers would move out. Probably not completely, but most of the interest in the region would be gone. Israel would be shitting bricks as would the Saudis, whose power and influence come from the black gold.

But again, if there was little western interest in the mid-east, what would happen in the region?
Well I think the middle east will remain stable, Aside from oil, gold is also plenty in the middle east. The tourist will also remain there. Although oil is the primary source of income or economics in middle east, They can still live in a decent life without oil. Gold and other minerals can only find in their land.
 
Well I think the middle east will live now without worrying. They will live happily and contented, because no more war. The US will not promote war or will not train terrorist just to conquer the middle east. They will not use the native people of particular country to fight against their government.
 

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