Oil to run out

石油耗盡

In August 2009, Fatih Birol, chief economist of the International Energy Agency, said that oil is running out faster than expected and that the world will likely feel the tightness in supply in the next five years.

2009年8月，國際能源署首席經濟學家法蒂赫•比羅爾表示，全球石油枯竭速度已超出預期，未來5年全球可能面臨石油供應緊縮的局面。

Scientists have found substitutes for oil as fuel. Coal, natural gas, solar power, nuclear power and even water can replace oil as sources of energy. Flammable ice reserves alone can support humans for the next 1,000 years.

科學家已經找到了石油的替代品，包括煤、天然氣、太陽能、核能甚至是水。僅海底“可燃冰”就夠人類使用1000年。

But if oil runs out, the petrochemical industry will suffer the most. More than 5,000 products are made with oil, and the industry exerts a vast and profound influence on people’s lives. If it is affected by oil, the impacts will be relayed to society as well.

但受石油枯竭影響最大的是石化行業。現存以石油為原料的產品超過5000種，石化行業對人類生活具有廣大且深遠的影響。一旦該行業受到石油的影響，勢必波及社會生活的方方面面。