Absolutely spot on CDX.
Something like 6 of the top 10 companies world wide are energy or oil and gas companies. Why would they want to tell everyone they have 100+ years of 'known' reserves? Technology has made it possible to find more and extract more for less money. Mining is a prime example with tailings of old deposits being reprocessed. Back when I was at primary school in the 80s, text books from the 70s were saying we only had oil reserves to see us through until 2000.
The likes of BP, Shell, Chevron, eni, etc all have huge research and development divisions and partnerships with motor companies and engineering firms to make and design different technology related to things such as hybrid cars, engines, batteries, etc. Hybrid cars have been around for a long time but were never truly marketed or took off and there has been a delay in the release because as you say - there is a buck to be made.
These partnerships may even extend to part ownership of technology or products. I remember reading that Chevron purchased the battery company that was used in hybrid electric vehicles so that production was slowed or delayed while oil prices were high (Iraq war), etc and then cash in once prices settled. These are companies with a trillion dollars turnover.
There will be a huge amount of gas resources added and available through coal seam gas developments.
Also fission technology will eventually become more prevalent and apart from renewables - is the cleanest form of energy on the planet, even when disposal of waste is considered. There are massive reserves of uranium and with new and more efficient reactor technology I think our energy crisis needs will take a while to hit. Fusion technology can't be too far away either. You can bet your backside these big companies have their fingers in these pies too.