Oil from oil wells has only been comercially used since about 1900 from then until now we are using about 88 million barrels (42 gallons) a day in the world with the US using about 18 million barrels
Don't get me wrong, I have a Ford F350 4x4 that gets 12 miles per gallon, but I still can't see how some day the ride might come to an end, we need alternive energy.
Many of the alternatives to break the OPEC (Islamic) hold are there - all we need is the will, or another 'energy price jolt' to place US on a wartime footing for enactment, including the construction of refining capabilities for existing petroleum sources.
There are two jolts which may happen over the summer months are Iran(Persian Gulf) and hurricanes.