Oil and gas operators in the UAE face growing threats from cyber criminals hoping to infiltrate systems by preying on offshore workers being connected online to their loved ones, experts warned.
For workers spending months at sea, internet access has become an important way to stay in touch with family and friends back home. But providing that connection alongside the networks used to run offshore equipment is creating new cyber security concerns for energy companies.
Alaa Alsadi, group vice president of energy and chief operating officer for the Middle East at IEC Telecom, said companies must ensure that the internet used by workers is kept separate from the systems controlling critical operations.
“The more you are connected, the more you are online, the more you need to take care of your connectivity and your infrastructure from cyber attacks,” he told The National during the Adipec energy conference taking place in Abu Dhabi this week.
The concerns come as energy companies increasingly use AI, remote monitoring and connected equipment to manage offshore facilities, making reliable internet access essential to everyday operations.
Why internet access for workers poses a risk
Internet connectivity on offshore platforms was traditionally focused on essential operations. However, over the past few years, companies have increasingly introduced internet services for employees, allowing them to communicate with loved ones and access entertainment during long periods away from home.
Mr Alsadi said this had created an additional responsibility for operators to protect their critical systems.
“Not that long before, connectivity was mainly for operations,” he said, adding that in the last five or six years, companies and operators have been providing internet for crew as a “welfare system”.
But he cautioned that these systems must be separated from operations to minimise the potential for a cyber attack. Mr Alsadi said energy companies are also placing greater emphasis on cyber security training and awareness among employees.
“Of course, the more you are connected, the more you are vulnerable to cyber attacks,” he said. “There is a new trend, actually – a new big demand on cyber security.”
Before the internet was made more accessible for offshore workers, they relied on satellite phones and other shared communication methods to stay in touch with their families, but this often meant limited connectivity and usage limits.
Now, improvements in satellite technology and the introduction of faster internet offshore have made it easier for those at sea to make video calls, send messages and access social media. The importance of staying connected while at sea has also been recognised internationally.
The threats the sector faces from cyber criminals in the UAE were laid bare during the Iran war this year. The National reported how the nation faced 640,000 attacks in one day in September, with Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, the UAE's cyber security chief, saying that Iran remains “one of the main players” in the high-tech offensive, which was being exacerbated by the rise of AI.
In August, the UAE Cyber Security Council said national teams had detected and contained advanced, organised attacks against the energy, aviation and education sectors before they could disrupt vital systems.
Amendments to the International Labour Organisation's Maritime Labour Convention, which came into force in December 2024, introduced provisions for seafarers to have access to social connectivity on board ships.
The UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency said in guidance published in March 2026 that access to messaging apps, email and social media could help reduce loneliness and isolation among workers spending long periods away from home.
However, it also warned that internet access could give cyber criminals opportunities to attack systems through less secure connections. More connectivity meant workers became easier targets for cybercriminals using AI to breach energy networks.
In September, the cyber security company Positive Technologies reported that a business providing drilling and production services to the oil and gas industry in Saudi Arabia had been compromised by a ransomware group.
Additionally, Palo Alto Networks identified four waves of cyber attacks against a Middle Eastern energy and marine services company between August 2025 and February 2026.
The financial impact can be significant: the average cost of a data breach in the Middle East's energy and industrial sectors reached about $8.5 million in 2025, according to IBM.
Its latest report found that breaches across the wider industrial sector cost an average of $9.6 million in 2026. It also found that 26 per cent of malicious breaches in the region involved the use of AI.
What happens when an offshore platform loses online connection?
The growing use of digitally connected equipment means offshore facilities must also prepare for interruptions to their main internet connections. Energy companies rely on these networks to monitor equipment, communicate with control centres and manage operations remotely.
Mr Alsadi said a loss of connectivity could have serious financial consequences, particularly at facilities that need to remain operational around the clock.
“Disruption in connectivity means we are having financial losses, and that has a major impact,” he said.
While offshore platforms typically have backup internet connections, older systems can take longer to switch between networks and may struggle to manage the growing number of connected applications.
IEC Telecom has spent the past five years developing technology designed to reduce the time it takes for backup connections to take over. The aim is to cut disruptions from minutes to seconds, with systems automatically detecting a failing connection and switching to an alternative network.
Once this happens, essential services are given priority, while less critical internet activity can be restricted to preserve the available connection. The process can take place automatically, with alerts sent to both offshore teams and company headquarters.
Maintaining reliable connections across multiple offshore facilities can also be expensive, particularly for companies managing large fleets of vessels and drilling platforms.
Mr Alsadi said backup connectivity had previously accounted for about 10 per cent of the total connectivity and managed services costs at an offshore site. However, newer technology could potentially bring this down to about 5 per cent by managing internet traffic more efficiently, he added.
The advent of AI is set to transform the energy sector, another expert told The National.
“AI is rapidly transforming the energy sector, creating opportunities to improve operational efficiency, optimise maintenance, reduce downtime, balance supply and demand, and integrate distributed energy resources,” said Yazad Darasha, co-founder of UAE research company White Paper Media Consulting.
“In the UAE, investment is also gaining momentum,” he added, citing recent data which shows the AI-in-energy market is expected to exceed $150 million by 2030, “as major players such as Adnoc and Dewa accelerate their adoption of AI-driven solutions”.
He said this number is “conservative” with research showing the actual investment potentially exceeding “twice that figure”.
