US oil giants ExxonMobil and Chevron have withdrawn plans for senior executives to attend the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) next week, citing security concerns linked to rising tensions in the Middle East.
Reuters reported on Thursday that ExxonMobil Chief Executive Officer, Darren Woods, and Chevron’s upstream president, Clay Neff, were expected to participate in the event in Abu Dhabi before their travel plans were cancelled.
The decision comes amid growing fears of a possible fresh military confrontation between the United States and Iran, as concerns over potential retaliatory attacks by Tehran continue to unsettle the oil market.
Both companies declined to comment on the cancellations, while the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company referred questions to DMG, the organiser of the conference.
DMG said preparations for the event were continuing, with strong participation from the United States. According to the organiser, more than 120 American companies are expected to exhibit, making the US the second-largest national participant after China.
The conference is also projected to record its highest exhibition turnout, with representatives from more than 170 countries expected to attend.
Despite the withdrawals by ExxonMobil and Chevron executives, the event’s online programme still listed other major industry leaders, including BP Chief Executive Officer, Meg O’Neill, and Equinor CEO, Anders Opedal.
Security concerns have also affected other US diplomatic and energy-related activities in the region. The US State Department last week directed some diplomats to leave Saudi Arabia, which has experienced repeated attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group.
The latest cancellations follow disruptions to the World Petroleum Congress in Riyadh earlier this month, where several senior energy executives were removed from the programme. The event, however, proceeded despite deadly attacks on the Saudi capital claimed by the Houthis.
ADIPEC is one of the major gatherings of the global oil and gas industry, bringing together energy companies, government officials and industry leaders to discuss developments in the sector.
