DHAHRAN – There are no adverse effects on oil production following a cyberattack on the computer network at the Saudi Arabian Oil Co., the company said. A computer virus entered the company's network through personal computers but the situation was secured and oil production wasn't disrupted because of the attack. “An official source of Saudi Aramco confirmed that it had isolated electronic systems for the entire company today and cut off external access as an early precaution," said the company in a statement in Arabic. “The network that runs the company's major operations is safe and there are no effects whatsoever on production operations," the statement said. “The source ... reiterated the lack of any effect at all on the work of production due to the strength of advanced protection systems," the statement added. Separately, Saudi Aramco Shell Refinery Co. (Sasref) started a gasoil hydrotreating unit at its refinery in Jubail after a glitch, Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported, citing Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Al-Baiz. The unit halted earlier this month, the Arabic daily reported on its website Wednesday, without saying when it was shut. Hydrotreaters remove sulfur and other impurities from fuels to improve their quality and meet tougher environmental standards. – SG/Agencies
