Loren C. Steffy

Drowning In Oil analyzes and recounts the lead-up to the 2010 catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill which ripped through the fragile Gulf of Mexico aquamarine ecosystem and claimed 11 lives. One only need look at then BP CEO Anthony Hayward's cringing to the media 'I'd like my life back' to understand the laissez faire form of leadership he brought to his office. Attitudes are caught and not taught-this proved Hayward's undoing. In his race to turn a profit he-and many others like him-cut corners and ignored expert warnings as to the impending crisis looming over them. Ultimately, when Hayward's slack was called out more dirty secrets emerged from hidden closets.

Steffy is an industry expert but also a proficient writer who avoids all the burdensome jargon associated with oil spills and environmental disasters. The book reads as a damning summary of Hayward's career as well as BP's enforced lack of oversight. Although there are parts of the book which might be considered too probing (Hayward's affair with homosexual prostitutes) it nonetheless delivers a colossal punch to all leaders irrespective of their field. Do not under any circumstances assume that you will get your life back when you are caught slumbering atop a crisis.… (mais)

I thought this was a very good read and a good overview of the culture of BP. Having spent 34 years on the global oil services industry I found a few technical errors in the reading that lowered my confidence in the rest of the book. For example, the author completely mutilated page 159, all beginning with the statement that oil was heavier than water. Unfortunately that is a critical mistake when discussing the technical nature of the blowout. The author also mutilated topics on casing and perforating. Still a good read and I am assuming he was more accurate on the non technical side of the book. One and a half thumb up.… (mais)