Samuel Taylor Coleridge comes to mind-this slurry must be some sort of willing suspension of disbelief. As we cruise down the road fueled by black colloidial goo, we could have the Fischer-Tropp family singers say "So Long, Farewell" to the age of oil. Personally, I think we just go for a coal-fired external combustion engine-Stanley Steamer, anyone?
I just wish we could use a "suspension of disbelief" to power diesel engines.  Our problems would be solved.