The Texas Oil & Gas Association said upstream oil and natural gas employment in Texas decreased slightly in September compared with August, according to an Oct. 20 association news release citing newly released Texas Workforce Commission data.
TXOGA said total upstream salaried employment stood at 196,400 jobs in September 2026. That figure was up 2,400 jobs from September 2025 but reflected a dip of about 500 jobs from August to September 2026, according to the association. The trade group added that since September 2020, Texas upstream oil and gas employment has increased by 39,400 jobs, a gain of more than 25 percent.
TXOGA President Todd Staples framed the monthly decline as part of normal fluctuation. “Month-to-month, job numbers will move. Texas oil and natural gas exploration and production employment is up from a year ago and has grown by more than 25 percent since 2020,” Staples said in the release. “With global tensions weighing on industries worldwide, Texas producers keep delivering the energy Americans rely on every day while nearing historic production highs. To keep this momentum going, it is imperative that pro-reliable energy policies are prioritized to ensure our industry can grow the workforce and move product to market.”
The association also highlighted its efforts to connect job seekers with the industry. TXOGA said it created a Career Center that serves as a one-stop shop to assist workers with job searches, career planning and resumes, and that employers can use the platform to share job openings and showcase their companies to potential employees. The tools are available at careers.txoga.org, the association said.
In a background section of the release, TXOGA explained that upstream employment refers to jobs focused on locating and extracting energy resources. The association said those positions support an additional 232,000 indirect jobs within the supply chain and 421,000 induced jobs supported by household spending across the economy.
The figures offer a snapshot of the sector’s workforce as the industry and policymakers continue to weigh the policy environment for Texas energy production, according to the association’s release.