"A groundbreaking, in-depth, and authoritative twenty-year history of the hunt and speculation for our most vital natural resource...The story of oil is a story of high stakes and extreme risk. It is the story of the crushing rivalries between men and women exploring for oil five miles beneath the sea, battling for control of the world's biggest corporations, and gambling billions of dollars twenty-four hours every day on oil's prices. It is the story of corporate chieftains in Dallas and London, traders in New York, oil-oligarchs in Moscow, and globe-trotting politicians--all maneuvering for power..."Dust jacket flap.