Over the long run, the oil business is under threat. There are various arguments about why that might happen. Peak supply people argue we are running out of oil. Peak demanders say that market saturation, efficiency, and new technologies will cause oil demand to peak and decline. Similarly, clean energy proponents argue oil will be undercut by electric vehicles. Another variation of this argument can be found in the “stranded assets” theory, which posits that low oil prices, cheaper alternatives or strict climate regulation – or some combination of the three – will keep vast volumes of unprofitable oil in the ground. A shrinking number of people see oil dominating the energy landscape decades from now. Or, even though it will likely still be a major source of fuel in, say, 2040, its growth is capped. Reasonable people can argue about how much oil will be consumed at what […]