[graycat]

Oil? Can make essentially oil from coal, water, and electric power. We can get electric power from nukes, water from the oceans, and here in the US we've got lots of coal. E.g., last I heard, a major fraction of the state of Utah has a layer of coal about 30 feet thick.

[twobyfour]

Pretty sure you need fresh water rather than salt water for that. And desalination is an energy-expensive process.

[graycat]

Agree.