The first in-depth examination of how a lack of corporate responsibility and government oversight led to the biggest offshore oil spill in U.S. history. On April 20, 2010, a series of explosions rocked Deepwater Horizon, the immense semisubmersible drilling platform leased by British Petroleum, located 40 miles off the Louisiana coast. The ensuing inferno claimed 11 lives and raged uncontained for two days, until its wreckage sank a mile beneath the waves. On the ocean floor, the unit's wellhead erupted. Over the next ten weeks, an estimated 200 million gallons of oil--the equivalent of 20 Exxon Valdez spills--spewed into the Gulf of Mexico, eventually lapping up on beaches as far away as Florida. Business journalist Loren Steffy--considered by many to be the writer with the best access to the story--presents the definitive account of this catastrophe and how BP's winner-take-all business culture made it all but inevitable.--From publisher description.

Piercing the fires of hell -- Dawn in the desert -- Rise of the sun king -- "Flying close to the wind" -- "There's nothing left" -- Imminent hazard -- The price of failure -- The fixer -- The fall of the sun king -- Not enough -- "A burning platform" -- "Who cares, it's done" -- Prelude to disaster -- Drops in the big ocean -- A fox in the henhouse -- Reefs of ruin -- Apologies all around -- Meet the new boss-- -- Lost faith -- All for oil.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 273-274) and index.