Texas’ upstream oil and natural gas sector recorded its fourth consecutive month of job growth in June, adding 400 positions, the Texas Oil & Gas Association said in an Aug. 4 news release citing newly released Texas Workforce Commission data. The June gain builds on May’s increase of more than 4,000 upstream jobs.
The streak underscores the continued expansion of the state’s exploration and production workforce, which the association said has grown each month since February. Upstream employment refers to jobs focused on locating and extracting energy resources.
“Four straight months of job gains are a testament to the skilled and dedicated workforce that fuels Texas’ oil and natural gas industry, which has continued to grow amid tensions in the Middle East,” TXOGA President Todd Staples said in the release. “Oil and natural gas production in the Lone Star State is central to America’s standing as the world’s leader in delivering safe, reliable energy resources.”
According to the association, upstream positions support an additional 231,000 indirect jobs within the supply chain and 418,000 induced jobs supported by household spending, meaning the sector sustains a total of 847,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs across the Texas economy.
Texas upstream oil and gas employment has increased by 40,700 jobs since September 2020, a gain of nearly 26%, the release noted.
Staples said the association’s goal is for Texas to keep powering the nation and the world while maintaining its competitive edge through policies that support every facet of the industry. Founded in 1919, TXOGA is the oldest and largest oil and natural gas trade association in Texas.