Opec confronts security and investment challenges
The organisation’s secretary general has concerns on vulnerability of infrastructure and ESG investment agenda
The oil industry faces two escalating challenges in the shape of risks of attacks on refineries and other infrastructure and investors turning away from the sector, Opec secretary general Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo told delegates at the Oil & Money conference in London on Thursday. The drone and missile attack on Saudi Aramco’s facilities in September—which took out half of the of the world’s largest producer’s processing capacity—highlighted vulnerabilities to the energy infrastructure more widely. And Barkindo’s concern was vindicated after the conference when, on Friday morning, Iran confirmed a supertanker, en route to Syria, was hit by missiles. Earlier this week, Turkey embarked on
Also in this section
28 April 2026
Oil traders warning of $200/bl oil are wrong, and the market should be wary of proclamations that the impact of the oil shortage has only begun to be felt and a that a ‘harsh adjustment’ is coming—even for industrialised nations
28 April 2026
Restoring supply from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq involves complexities far beyond simply adjusting operational controls
28 April 2026
Datacentres will guzzle power at a ferocious rate, but the impact on wider energy markets will be far more complex than previously thought
28 April 2026
The key energy player faces balancing regional routes, political complexities, and creating a clear strategic vision for energy security
