Oil has long been cast as a “fossil fuel,” yet its mysteries run deeper than the story of ancient plankton and plants. Found at depths twice as great as any known fossil, oil contains anomalies that resist biological explanations. Some reservoirs even refill themselves, hinting at processes beyond scarcity-based models. Could petroleum be more than nature’s byproduct? Perhaps it was engineered, a planetary lubricant designed to stabilize Earth’s crust and sustain life.