ArKhan said:
Thermal_depolymerization is a process that turns hydrocarbon basied waste like plastics, biomass, and sewage into artifical crude oil. What if the knowlege and technology to preform this process exsited much early, say by 1900. What effects would this have on history?
Thx for a great link.
A few of things cross my mind, depending on how rapidly it gets commercialized. One, no fight over the oil in the Mid East in WW2, because Germany can produce much more of her own fuel.
Two, no Oil Shock, since OPEC doesn't have anything like the clout it had OTL.
Three, this butterflies the problems & complaints around industrial chicken & hog farms, since the big ponds of liquid waste disappear.
Four, it appears to mean pet food or glue makers could be in trouble: if it's more profitable to turn dead horses or cattle, unfit for human consumption, into oil...
Five, it has potential butterflies for tire use. If it's more profitable to sell old tires for oil, what happens to recaps/retreads?

(It does mean all the enormous stacks of old tires become fuel stocks, & all the tire stack fires disappear...

) It also suggests tires are cheaper, since oil is a major cost in synthetic tire rubber...