Houthi Attacks Force Executive Absences at Riyadh Energy Congress
Saudi Arabia continues the WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh despite Houthi attacks on King Khalid Airport that killed 12 people and disrupted international travel.
The 25th WPC Energy Congress continues in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, despite recent Houthi attacks that killed 12 people and forced a temporary closure of King Khalid Airport. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi Energy Minister, opened the event and defended the safety of the proceedings, though he acknowledged the seriousness of the security threats.
Regional instability led to the removal of top executives from BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, and Chevron from the conference schedule. A spokesperson for BP attributed the absence of their leadership to travel disruption. The congress, which runs from October 11 to 15, remains a venue for high-level dialogue on energy security and lower-carbon systems, with attendees including QatarEnergy CEO Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi.
Amid the security crisis, Aramco CEO Amin Nasser warned that a serious global squeeze on crude oil will persist until Iran fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz. These tensions have contributed to a rise in oil prices, with Brent crude reaching $106 per barrel on Monday. The current volatility follows a July escalation by Saudi Arabia and recent Yemeni seizures of Bab al-Mandab and portions of the western coast.
