Payments Modernization: A Path to Resilience for Energy Enterprises

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Resilience can be critical for the energy industry. The International Energy Agency's (IEA) Q3 2025 market report forecasted global gas demand growth to slow from 2.8% in 2024 to around 1.3% in 2025 for the full year, with the caveat that "an unusually wide range of uncertainties," both geopolitical and macroeconomic, could impact the forecast. 

When the environment outside an organization's control is uncertain, successful leaders may look internally to build operational resilience — something they can more directly influence. Large and global energy enterprises could face unique challenges to help leaders unlock value from their spending and manage growth sustainably.

Payments modernization is emerging as a new opportunity to help support resilience in the energy sector — with potential downstream benefits that may include efficiency, security, enhanced cash flow management, and supplier engagement.

Here are some of the ways payments modernization could help energy sector leaders strengthen their operations.

Payments Modernization's Operational Efficiencies

Enterprises across many industries are wrestling with the decision of when to invest in payments automation. Only 41% have centralized payments through an AP automation system, according to responses from "Safeguarding Security, Unlocking Innovation: Exploring The New Era In B2B Payments," a May 2025 Forbes Insights study of 520 U.S.-based business leaders, commissioned by American Express. Yet the same study found that 88% of executives surveyed found digital transformation is important or extremely important to their organizations’ operational and financial future.

With data-driven visibility and insights, enhanced security features, and operational efficiency, automated AP systems could do much more for large organizations than simply making payments.

Picking the right path to payments modernization could help large energy companies reduce the friction of transitioning. Leaders could consider payment providers that integrate their payment rails into the business directly or via third-party AP automation partners for simplified onboarding. They could also consider a payment provider with onboarding teams that can help advise leaders on technology and systems, and support the enterprise and its suppliers through implementation.

Enhancing Security With Automated Payments

Security concerns surrounding energy infrastructure and financial systems are very much top of mind. The World Economic Forum's 2025 Global Cybersecurity Outlook cited critical infrastructure operating on legacy systems as a key target amid escalating geopolitical tensions and increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats. Even beyond the energy sector, however, according to the "Safeguarding Security, Unlocking Innovation: Exploring The New Era In B2B Payments" study, "90% of executives surveyed said that effective security and fraud prevention in B2B payments is essential to their organization’s operational and financial future."

Payments modernization infrastructure can help address these concerns by offering multi-factor authentication, advanced fraud detection, and tokenization, among other security benefits. These more efficient systems may also help support operational continuity, which could have security implications, as any payment or service delays could create vulnerabilities that cybercriminals could exploit. 

Modern Payment Systems' Cash Flow Management Tools

Complex energy projects could require precise cash-flow coordination among multiple vendors and contractors. Modernized payment systems could help orchestrate this challenge by enabling data-driven forecasting and working capital optimization. The data modern payment systems generate could help leaders potentially gain enhanced visibility into spending, identify inefficiencies, and uncover savings opportunities. According to the Forbes Insights study, "integrating payments into business processes unlocks opportunities to reduce costs and enhance cash flow and treasury management."

Automated payments may also help ensure funds are available where needed, when needed — especially during market uncertainty. Buyer-initiated payments and virtual cards may be features of some automated payment systems that could give energy sector leaders more control over their organization's spending and billing cycles. 

Strengthening Supplier Relationships With Automated Payments

A key way to help bolster supplier relationships could be making reliable payments. Late, incomplete, or incorrect payments could erode trust with vendors and contractors, increase supply chain risk, and lead to costly project delays. 

Modernized, automated payments could help energy enterprises avoid these negative outcomes. Digital payment systems can help provide greater visibility for suppliers and enterprise leaders, supporting clearer communication, increased transparency, and helping to potentially make supplier payments more predictable. Some automated AP systems could include supplier management solutions that can potentially help reduce costs and improve efficiencies across the energy supply chain. 

Efficient Operations Are Resilient Operations

In a time when the geopolitical and global economic environments may seem uncertain, energy enterprises looking to build more resilient operations might want to consider payments modernization as a part of their strategy. With data-driven visibility and insights, enhanced security features, and operational efficiency, automated AP systems could do much more for large organizations than simply making payments. 

Payment providers may be able to help energy companies power operations amid disruption so they can continue to provide the critical utility services their customers rely on. As markets keep evolving, energy companies that view payments as a strategic function may be well-positioned to build resilience into their operations and navigate the future.

Photo: Getty Images

METHODOLOGY:

The Safeguarding Security, Unlocking Innovation: Exploring The New Era In B2B Payments survey was commissioned by American Express and conducted by Forbes Insights in May 2025 among a sample of 520 U.S.-based business leaders across the following sectors: financial services, technology and software, manufacturing and industrial chemicals, construction, automotive, food and beverage, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, consulting and accounting, e-commerce, entertainment and events, hospitality and travel, publishing and media, retail, nonprofit, telecom and energy, and oil and gas. Sixty percent of respondents were C-suite executives. All respondents represent organizations with at least $300 million in annual revenue, and 57% are from organizations with an annual revenue exceeding $1 billion. The interviews were conducted online, and results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

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