>>http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=336263836904604
>>
>>Thursday marked the 150th anniversary of a seminal event in history: the birth of the oil industry. On that day in 1859, Edwin Drake struck black gold with the first commercial oil well — creating an industry that would provide the lifeblood for modern civilization.
>>
>>http://www.greentechhistory.com/2009/08/gallery-the-worlds-first-oil-field/
>>http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/26/after-150-years-whither-oil/
>>http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5715
>>http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/08/17/its_still_the_one
>
>Let's hope when the 175th anniversary rolls around oil is mainly just a historical artifact.

There are many uses for petroleum other than burning in IC engines. It would damage civilization to stop these uses by shutting down the oil industry.