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Oil and gas at a glance

While it’s no surprise that oil and gas is a major contributor to the economy, it may be surprising that many of the services in the industry are provided by small businesses.1 Lengthy payment cycles and manual processes continue to cause friction between suppliers and buyers. Visa Commercial Solutions can help reduce this friction by supporting working capital flexibility, which can contribute to improved DPO and DSO outcomes.

  • $1.4T estimated North American oil and gas market annual revenue2

  • ~32% of the global market revenue in oil and gas is in North America3

  • #4 largest industry in the world4

From uncertainty to opportunity: 2026 Oil & Gas Payment Report

Many factors in the oil and gas industry can contribute to a lack of working capital. To better understand these challenges, Visa surveyed North American industry leaders. Our report reveals how they are responding to these pressures and provides insights to help find new opportunities.

Download the report

Upstream pain points

The current landscape has numerous factors that can create a costly efficiency gap and extend payment cycles. Left unchecked, it can cause friction across the supply chain. But with Visa Commercial Solutions, they could be transformed into a competitive advantage.

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Tailored solutions to help increase productivity

Visa offers powerful tools to help streamline payments processes and keep control of cost-efficient capital.

  • ~20% increase in debt collection efficiency7

  • ~67% decrease in days sales outstanding7

  • ~90% less time on reconciliation and fraud tasks7

How Visa helps accelerate the payments ecosystem

From operators to service providers and royalty recipients, we address the unique payment needs of each upstream segment to help them maximize outcomes.

Maintain liquidity through cycles

E&P operators could face rising production and labor costs, price volatility in oil markets and digital gaps in payment flows. Our solutions can help companies use their corporate cards for more than just T&E programs — making them a powerful accounts payable automation tool.

  • Extend working capital through card billing cycles
  • Automate payables with embedded finance systems
  • Track cash flow with full transparency across the value chain
  • Pivot existing corporate cards to automated AP without adding new infrastructure

Get paid faster, grow stronger*

Oilfield service providers and suppliers (OFSPs) often wait 90+ days for payment.5 Accepting commercial cards can help accelerate cash flow, reduce risk and strengthen the supply chain for everyone.

  • Reduce overall DSO by ~67% — a 30-day improvement on average5
  • Cut 90% of time spent on reconciliation and fraud-related tasks6
  • Resolve payment errors and discrepancies quickly
  • Achieve ~132% return on investment over 3 years from card acceptance6

Digitize royalty disbursements at scale

Over 12 million U.S. landowners receive oil and gas royalty payments — many by paper check.7 Visa can help operators modernize these disbursements with digital, trackable payments.

  • Help reduce fraud risk with Visa security and payment controls
  • Pay multiple suppliers and royalty recipients simultaneously with automated disbursements
  • Lower the cost and delay associated with paper check processing
  • Improve audit trails and compliance with end-to-end digital records

Finding payment efficiency in the oil and gas industry

Read this article to learn more about how we can help reduce friction, strengthen supplier relationships and improve working capital management across the payments value chain.

Read the article

Purpose-built for results

See how our commercial card solutions and services can help free up working capital and modernize payments for greater efficiency.

Get in touch with Visa Commercial Solutions

Discover how Visa Commercial Solutions can transform upstream payment flows for your business.

Contact our team

Sources/Footnotes/Disclaimer

  1. Council, SBE. “NEW STUDY: Oil, Natural Gas, Our Economy and Small Business”. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  2. Euromonitor International, Industrial data (Energy sector, North America), based on trade sources and national statistics
  3. Marketdataforecast.com. “U.S. Oil and Gas Market”. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  4. IBIS World. “Biggest Industries by Revenue in Global in 2026”. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  5. J.P. Morgan. “Increasing efficiency: Working Capital Index 2024” Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  6. J.P. Morgan. “Now is the time to digitize oil and gas royalty payments”.  Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  7. The Total Economic Impact of Commercial Credit Card Acceptance: An Update, Forrester Consulting. Originally published March 2021, updated June 2024. The referenced study was conducted in the U.S. and actual results may vary by merchant.
  8. Deloitte. “From bytes to barrels”. Retrieved May 20, 2026.

*Results are based on select studies and client experiences. Actual results may vary depending on client profile, implementation and market conditions.