The obvious conclusion is that we are massively dependent on a resource that has steady ramping global demand and very concentrated supply, with a significant risk of a disruption of this supply.
With an economy in the pan, and global commodity prices at historic highs (not to mention the political problems of policing an oil-dependent world) natural resource discovery is an inviting systemic innovation.
Most successful small businesses face a problem when they need to grow because they are overly dependent on one finite resource - for instance, the time and expertise of the lone baker who starts her own business.