The oil and gas industry has become increasingly dependent on digital technologies to conduct day-to-day operations including certain midstream activities. For example, software programs are used to manage gathering and transportation systems and for compliance reporting. The use of mobile communication devices has increased rapidly. Industrial control systems such as SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) now control large scale processes that can include multiple sites and long distances, such as crude oil and natural gas pipelines.
The Company depends on digital technology, including information systems and related infrastructure as well as cloud applications and services, to process and record financial and operating data and to communicate with its employees and business service providers. The Company's business service providers, including vendors and financial institutions, are also dependent on digital technology. The technologies needed to conduct midstream activities make certain information the target of theft or misappropriation.
In addition, the Company has begun to incorporate certain algorithmic technologies into its business activities. As with many technological innovations, the use presents risks and challenges associated with developing, deploying and governing such technologies that could adversely impact the Company's business. The legal and regulatory landscape surrounding certain advanced technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence "AI" is rapidly evolving and uncertain, and may expose the Company to additional compliance costs, cybersecurity risks, and lawsuits. The Company is evaluating solutions to assist its employees in business activities and developing appropriate controls and parameters, but certain third parties may incorporate AI tools into their services and deliverables without the Company's knowledge or control. Any of the foregoing may result in harm to the Company's business, financial condition or reputation.
The Company's technologies, systems, networks, and those of its business partners may become the target of cyber-attacks or information security breaches that could result in the unauthorized release, gathering, monitoring, misuse, loss or destruction of proprietary and other information, or other disruption of its business operations. In addition, certain cyber incidents, such as surveillance, may remain undetected for an extended period. A cyber incident involving the Company's information systems and related infrastructure, or that of its business service providers, could disrupt its business plans and negatively impact its operations.
The Company's implementation of various controls and processes, including globally incorporating a risk-based cyber security framework, to monitor and mitigate security threats and to increase security for its information, facilities and infrastructure is costly and labor intensive. Moreover, there can be no assurance that such measures will be sufficient to prevent security breaches from occurring. As cyber threats continue to evolve, the Company may be required to expend significant additional resources to continue to modify or enhance its protective measures or to investigate and remediate any information security vulnerabilities. Any such breakdowns or breaches, or resulting access, disclosure or other loss of information, could significantly disrupt the Company's business and result in legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information and damage to its reputation, any of which could materially and adversely affect its business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows. See additional information related to cybersecurity risks and how the Company manages such risk in Part I-Item 1C. Cybersecurity of this Annual Report.