Texas Industry Groups Look at Upstream Employment

Texas Industry Groups Look at Upstream Employment
TIPRO said its new workforce data 'yet again indicated strong job postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry'.
Image by Andrii Yalanskyi via iStock

According to the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association’s (TIPRO) analysis, direct Texas upstream employment for September totaled 195,400.

That’s what TIPRO said in a statement sent to Rigzone, which cited the latest Current Employment Statistics (CES) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In the statement, TIPRO highlighted that the total September figure represents an increase of 800 jobs from revised June employment numbers. Oil and gas extraction saw a decrease of 900 jobs and the services sector saw an increase of 1,700 in September, TIPRO pointed out.

In the statement, TIPRO said its new workforce data “yet again indicated strong job postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry”. The organization said there were 11,970 active unique jobs postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry in September. TIPRO noted in the statement that it reported a total of 56,563 unique job postings nationwide last month within the oil and natural gas sector.

TIPRO also revealed in the statement that, among the 19 industry sectors it uses to define the Texas oil and natural gas industry, ‘Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores’ led in the ranking for unique job listings in September with 2,933 postings. This was followed by ‘Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations’ with 2,539, and ‘Crude Petroleum Extraction’ with 1,160, TIPRO highlighted.

The leading three cities by total unique oil and natural gas job postings were Houston, with 3,019, Midland, with 843, and Odessa, with 431, TIPRO pointed out. The top three companies ranked by unique job postings in September were Cefco, with 1,173, Love’s, with 676, and Energy Transfer, with 427, according to TIPRO.

Top posted industry occupations for September included first-line supervisors of retail sales workers, with 689, general maintenance and repair workers, with 402, and heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, with 386, TIPRO revealed. The industry body noted in the statement that 40 percent of unique job postings had no education requirement listed, 34 percent required a bachelor’s degree, and 28 percent required a high school diploma or GED.

In its statement, TIPRO also highlighted that, according to recent data released by the Texas Comptroller’s office, in September, Texas energy producers paid $516 million in oil production taxes. Producers last month also paid a total of nearly $200 million to the state in natural gas production taxes, TIPRO stated, adding that production taxes paid by the oil and natural gas industry are used to support major revenue streams for the state.

TIPRO also pointed out in its statement that, in its latest short term energy outlook (STEO), the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projected U.S. crude oil production will rise to 13.5 million barrels per day in 2025. TIPRO highlighted that this is a “record high”.

In its latest STEO, the EIA forecast that total U.S. crude oil production, including lease condensate, will average 13.54 million barrels per day next year. This production averaged 12.93 million barrels per day in 2023, the STEO highlighted.

“Rising upstream employment and a record production forecast mean one thing, the world needs more oil and natural gas to meet growing energy demand and Texans are more than willing to accommodate,” TIPRO President Ed Longanecker said in the statement.

“Our state is blessed with an abundance of oil and natural gas and the most pro-business environment in the country, and we must keep it that way,” he added.

“As we approach the conclusion of another consequential election cycle, we encourage all Texans to do their due diligence and vote for candidates that support economic prosperity and energy security for our state and country,” he continued.

A separate statement sent to Rigzone by the Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA) noted that “new data from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) indicate[s] that upstream oil and natural gas employment grew by 800 in September compared to August”.

TXOGA highlighted that the data marks five out of nine months so far this calendar year in which the job count has increased, and the fourth monthly increase in a row. 

In its statement, TXOGA stated that, since the Covid-low point of September of 2020, the industry has added 38,400 Texas upstream jobs, averaging growth of 800 jobs per month. Since the Covid-low point, months with upstream oil and gas employment increases have outnumbered those with decrease by 37 to 11, TXOGA said in the statement, adding that these jobs pay among the highest wages in Texas.

“With weakness in global economies, international conflicts, and uncertainties at home, a positive job count for September is welcomed news,” TXOGA President Todd Staples said in the statement.

“Texas remains the production powerhouse for America and the innovation center for energy growth and improvement,” he added.

In fiscal year 2023, the Texas oil and natural gas industry supported over 480,000 direct jobs and paid $26.3 billion in state and local taxes and state royalties, TXOGA states on its website.

TIPRO describes itself as a trade association representing the interests of nearly 3,000 independent oil and natural gas producers and royalty owners throughout Texas. TXOGA describes itself as the oldest and largest oil and gas trade association in Texas representing every facet of the industry. It was founded in 1919.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com


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Andreas Exarheas
Editor | Rigzone