"We cannot make it": Oil giants flee Saudi Arabia
Energy giants BP and Exxon Mobil have canceled their participation in an oil conference in Riyadh following a deadly Houthi missile attack on the airport in the Saudi capital, which killed 13 people. The airport is completely closed, the US and UK have issued unusual travel warnings, and other senior industry figures, including from Total and Shell, have also canceled their arrivals.
Global energy giants BP and Exxon Mobil have announced the cancellation of their participation in an international oil conference in Riyadh, following a deadly Houthi missile attack on the international airport in the Saudi capital. The attack, which occurred on Saturday, killed 13 people, including foreign citizens from the US and Jordan, and wounded more than 300. The airport has been completely closed since then. The US and UK have issued unusual travel warnings for those flying to the kingdom. The conference opened yesterday at a convention center about ten kilometers from the airport, but without senior industry figures. BP CEO Meg O'Neill will not attend; the company stated that due to flight disruptions, "we cannot be there in person." According to a report in the Financial Times, the CEOs of Exxon Mobil, Total, and Shell have also canceled their arrivals. The Houthis have issued additional warnings calling for people to stay away from airports and vital facilities in the kingdom.