The software needs of the credit-wary

After a difficult year that shows few signs of getting any easier, it looks like every energy company needs an effective risk system. The software vendors hold the key, but what do energy players need, asks Joel Hanley

The energy software industry is probably even more competitive than the market it serves. Trade shows and conferences are regularly filled with vendors showing off their wares, leaving some energy firms wondering how different one supplier’s solution is from the next.

Despite the tense and often aggressive atmosphere in the market, one thing all software firms agree on is that energy companies need them, especially given the recent heightened exposure to price and credit risk. Add to that the