Achieving cyber resilience in the oil and gas industry

The rising threat of cyberattacks and data breaches requires industry operators to implement comprehensive, long-term strategies using all available technologies, with focus on system lifecycle and supply chain management, Steven Kenny tells OGN

- ABDULAZIZ KHATTAK

IN the face of growing cybersecurity risks and attack vectors, operators in critical industries such as oil and gas have the herculean task of reinforcing their infrastructure, including security systems and surveillance networks, to address the increasing threats of cyberattacks and prevent potential breaches.

These risks can range from a loss of data integrity and availability to incidents that pose a real-life threat to people and physical infrastructure.

This is the case throughout the Middle East, and it remains a priority as the region is forecast to provide almost 60 per cent of the world's oil exports by 2050, while countries such as Egypt plan to increase natural gas production in the face of growing demand.

To put this into perspective, a cyberattack on an oil producer like Saudi Aramco, the world's largest, that forces production to halt for even one day could cause immediate global oil supply disruptions, sharp price spikes, and market instability.

A one-week shutdown would have farreaching consequences, with oil prices potentially soaring above $100 per barrel, straining energy-dependent economies, inflating global transportation and manufacturing costs, and increasing geopolitical tensions.

Such a scenario would likely prompt releases from strategic petroleum reserves, but these would only offer temporary relief.

Additionally, an attack of this scale would highlight critical vulnerabilities in global energy infrastructure, intensifying cybersecurity concerns and potentially accelerating investment in both energy security and renewable alternatives.

"The global impact is far-reaching, making it crucial that these risks are addressed proactively," Steven Kenny, Architect and Engineering Program Manager-EMEA at Axis Communications, tells OGN energy magazine.

Cyber resilience is not achieved by relying on a simple software package installed on endpoint devices.