At a certain point in its lifecycle, every industry faces its moment of reckoning with growing pressure to transform due to factors such as increasing competition, changing consumer preferences, government policy, and other secular headwinds. The transformation usually takes the shape of improved supply chain discipline as well as streamlining business operations in order to achieve better operating margins. For the oil and gas industry, the moment of truth has finally arrived. Years of weak benchmark prices, shrinking margins and massive capital flight are forcing the sector to seriously rethink the way it does business, with energy companies increasingly turning toward tech heavyweights for help in cutting costs and streamlining operations. A good case in point is last year’s partnership between Haliburton Co. (NYSE:HAL), Microsoft Inc. (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Accenture Plc. (NYSE:ACN). For years, Haliburton, one of the world’s largest oilfield services companies, has been plagued by shrinking margins and […]