Cybersecurity has emerged as the top focus of upstream oil and gas companies’ digital investments, according to a report from Accenture.

The report is based on a global survey of 255 industry professionals, including C-suite executives, functional leaders and engineers.

Increased investments in cybersecurity

When respondents were asked which digital technologies their organizations are investing in today, cybersecurity was cited more than any other, by 61% of respondents – five times higher than the 12% who made that claim in 2017. The report suggests that the focus on cyber resilience is increasing sharply as oil companies seek to protect their assets and reputations.