What is the purpose of oil in the earth's crust?

Question

As with most things on this planet, there is always a purpose. Even the smallest microbes have a purpose. The fact that we don't yet know the purpose is very different from it having no purpose. I believe oil’s purpose is to act as an insulator to protect the surface from the heat generated by the earth's core. It also acts as a lubricant to facilitate tectonic plate movement within the earth's crust.

Without oil, we run the risk of more frequent and violent earthquakes, increased surface temperature that could warm up the oceans and thus melt polar ice caps and bring the circulation of the major ocean currents to a standstill.

We have already witnessed extreme weather conditions and earthquakes. It is not just greenhouse gases that cause global warming; we are also causing havoc within the earth's core itself. But that's just my opinion. Until scientists finally study the purpose of oil within the earth, we will just continue to destroy ourselves. What do you think?

Answer 1

The use of the word "purpose" infers some deliberate design was involved.  Oil wasn't put in the Earth for a purpose, it is there because organic material, such as dead plankton, accumulated on the sea floor around the time of the dinosaurs and over millions of years became compressed and turned into oil.  Man discovered and used this valuable resource to create much of what we've enjoyed about life in the last 100 years or so.

The evidence suggests that the Earth, and life on it, has evolved over millions and billions of years as a consequence of the interaction between the two (plus external influences like the rest of the solar system, comets etc) and is continuing to evolve, although thankfully at generally a similar rate.  However, any disruption to the current 'balance', like global warming, could have a dramatic effect on the Earth's ability to sustain life as we know it.

Answer 2

lubrication

Answer 3

Actually, the thing with oil is that it holds carbon molecules.

Now back in the dinosaur days, the earth was hotter because there was more carbon in the air. The plants and animals absorbed that carbon and decomposed into oil. And then there was less carbon so Man could evolve and certain plants could florish in different place.

Now we're burning the oil. Basically, we're returning the Earth to the climate of the Dinosaurs.

The oil has kept the Earth at a comfortable climate, but we've managed to revert the climate with 100 or so years.

(not scolding anyone. I drive a car too. Just giving the facts.)

Answer 4

oil as insulator..??? i'm not really sure, because the crust itself already an insulator.

oil as lubricant...?? still not sure, because all plate (lithosfer) are moving above plastic fluid called astenosfer.

for tectonic plate, there's no way oil act as an lubricant, since oil take place in rock pores, not in rock surface.

so what oil purpose..?? i think it is to compensate the dying organism size in between rock material grains...could we imagine if rock consist of so many organism...?? the size, the shape, the fragrance of our earth will be so different from what it looks like now.

Answer 5

What is your source for this? "Without oil, we run the risk of more frequent and violent earthquakes, increased surface temperature that could warm up the oceans and thus melt polar ice caps and bring the circulation of the major ocean currents to a standstill."