the inevitable confrontation
The scenarios are endless and nothing more than game playing.
It is conceivable that we could stretch it out for 40-50 a la cold war and while maintaining technical superiorty, become oil independent. Considering that what can go wrong will, your doomsday scenario is as likely as any other.
We pays our money and we takes our choice. The die is cast and all that, so we must follow through on the route we chose.