DUCHESNE, Utah, June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Sage Energy Partners / Sage Water Resources (SWR), a leading Native American-owned and operated water infrastructure and management provider in the Uinta Basin, today announced the completion of a comprehensive security hardening of its Programmable Logic Control (PLC) automation system following a targeted cyber incident.
On March 15, 2026, SWR detected unauthorized activity on its PLC at its salt water disposal facility located in Duchesne, UT. Forensic analysis conducted in coordination with federal law enforcement and cybersecurity experts confirmed the activity was a malicious logic manipulation carried out by an advanced nation-state threat actor. The attack was consistent with a broader, sophisticated campaign targeting critical infrastructure operators across the United States energy and water sectors.
Thanks to the vigilance of an early morning truck driver and the rapid response of SWR’s operations team, the unauthorized logic changes were detected and mitigated before causing physical or environmental damage. The PLC operational logic has been successfully restored and is now protected by an extensive Virtual Private Network (VPN).
“This incident underscores the reality that independent energy operators of critical infrastructure are on the front lines of global geopolitical threats,” said Steve Crower, CFO, Secretary and Treasurer. “However, the SWR operations team response, combined with the support of world-class federal agents and our local private partners, has allowed us to bounce back stronger, safer, and fully hardened against future cyber security threats.”
Following a rigorous forensic investigation, SWR has successfully transitioned its network environment from a legacy configuration (“Chevy”) to one of the most advanced PLC / VPN configurations in the oilfield (“Cadillac”).
“Our priority is the safety of our personnel, the Uinta Basin environment, the Ute Tribe, and our energy production partners,” said Cleve Pike, President, CEO, and Member of the Ute Tribe. “The resolve shown by our team, Sasquatch Automation, and the responding agencies shows exactly how the domestic energy market works together under pressure. We didn’t just patch a hole; we built a fortress.”
Sage extends our gratitude to the federal agencies whose coordination and forensic cyber security support contributed to our swift response and recovery efforts.
With an uncompromised commitment to:
- Safety: Fully compliant and top-rated in ISNetworld and Veriforce.
- Environment: Environmentally responsible water resource management.
- Data Security: Strict customer data security and perimeter defense.
- Regulatory Compliance: Strict DOT logistics compliance.
- Administrative Excellence: Advanced billing and digital financial reporting.
- Tribal Advocacy: Unwavering respect for Tribal Sovereign Rights.
The Company is fully operational and actively pursuing new growth opportunities. Reach out today to discuss how SWR and Sage Oilfield Services—a UTERO-qualified production chemical logistics company—can safely support the growing Uinta Basin energy industry.
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SOURCE Sage Energy Partners
