Hi Faith.
I think the thing that people are saying here, is that standard geology can infer the likelihood of the location of oil bearing strata, before they are physically located. And it does so using the scientific method.
The question posed is how YEC thinking can infer the likelihood of the location of the oil bearing strata, before they are physically located.
It's true that dating isn't
needed to locate the rocks - but old earth dating makes it very likely that you will locate them. Our position is that YEC thinking doesn't do the same.
Could there be any greater conceit, than for someone to believe that the universe has to be simple enough for them to be able to understand it ?