We have be drilling for oil for over a hundred years, how much has been taken out and wat damage are we doing?

Question

we are leaving vast spaces behind could this cause subsidence as in mining?

Answer 1

We have finished almost all the reserves of oil we had.We have finished our energy resources. We now need to find a new source of energy.

Answer 2

yes the subsidence has occurred in oil fields but it is not so huge its almost negligible( up to few meters)

1)oil usually is located  in the rocks with very fine holes (it is called porous media) and it has very high pressure

so withdrawing oil dont affect severely structure of those rocks

2) oil reservoirs usually have lateral structures i mean the width of reservoirs are much more than their height so subsidence due height reduction of reservoir is not so much

3)during oil production water of aquifer is replaced with oil

Answer 3

There is still plenty left. OPEC control the amount been released to keep world prices up. And by the time we start to run out on earth, we should be able to exploit the hydrocarbon lakes on Titan, one of Jupiters moons. It's only a matter of time before something gives. Like a jenga tower, only so much can be removed before the whole thing collapses at once.

Answer 4

There is enough oil left to see us out of our life-time ( say next 75 years) but after that most viable reserves will be gone and that which remains will be very expensive. As to damage, well oil is a natural substance so arguably the only real damage comes from the processing of it and from the debris left behind at defunct oil fields. With regards to the issue of Co2 emissions that is different because virtually every thing we do as humans produces Co2. Oil is far from the only major source of atmospheric pollution, coal, natural gas, wood, vegetation all pollute the atmosphere with Co2.