Several top energy executives were dropped from the schedule of the WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh, as Saudi authorities pressed ahead with the event despite deadly attacks on the capital claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis.
Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud speaks during a session of the Russian Energy Week international forum in Moscow, Russia, October 15, 2025. Reuters/Ramil Sitdikov
Several top energy executives were dropped from the schedule of the WPC Energy Congress in Riyadh, as Saudi authorities pressed ahead with the event despite deadly attacks on the capital claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis.
The chief executives of ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, Shell, Chevron and BP had all been expected at the event, which began on Sunday, but were no longer on the agenda conference organisers released early Monday.
“To everyone who travelled to Riyadh, thank you,” said Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, who opened Monday’s session of the gathering for energy policy and industry that takes place once every three years.
“You know this country is safe and that we hold your protection at whole heart…Our gathering here does not mean the risk is gone.”
Prince Abdulaziz said the events of recent weeks were serious and that the kingdom’s response must be “equally serious".
The strikes are a blow to Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia's multi-billion-dollar programme to diversify the economy away from oil, modernise society and position the kingdom as an investment and tourism hub.
Hosting international events is a priority of the programme, which was already facing delays and recalibrations. Prince Abdulaziz said the kingdom must remain focused on the decades ahead and Vision 2030 must continue.
A BP spokesperson said the company had "made every effort to participate" in the conference. "Unfortunately, due to travel disruption we are unable to be there in person. We greatly value our long-standing partnerships across the region."
Shell declined to comment and TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil and Chevron did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.
The WPC Energy Congress is taking place this week at a conference centre some 10 kilometres (6 miles) from Riyadh’s international airport, which has been attacked four times in the last week.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack on the airport on Sunday evening, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis killed 13 people and wounded more than 300, the deadliest attack in the kingdom in more than a decade.
By Sarah El Safty and Jana Choukeir
A senior Emirati official on Monday called on Gulf countries to strengthen their collective security system after a series of attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis from Yemen on Saudi Arabia.
Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia condemned attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militants on Riyadh's international airport, saying they were a "dangerous escalation that cannot be justified or accepted under any pretext".
Yemen's Houthis warned airlines, travellers and airport workers on Sunday to stay away from Saudi airports, a day after an attack on Riyadh's international airport killed 12 people and wounded more than 300 others.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.