Texas Swings Back to Upstream Jobs Gain

Texas Swings Back to Upstream Jobs Gain
The Texas Oil and Gas Association reported this week that the state’s upstream oil and gas sector added 700 jobs in September.

Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) figures show that the Lone Star State’s upstream oil and gas sector added 700 jobs in September, the Texas Oil and Gas Association (TXOGA) reported this week.

TXOGA pointed out the latest figures represent the first uptick in Texas’ total upstream employment – to 170,500 jobs – since February of this year.

“At a time when some question the future of oil and natural gas, this small but positive job growth is an indicator of better days ahead,” TXOGA President Todd Staples commented in a written statement emailed to Rigzone.

To be sure, Texas’ upstream job count remains dramatically lower than it was in February. Moreover, within the past eight years, the state’s upstream workforce has shrunk 45 percent – having peaked at 308,900 in Dec. 2014. The graph below of TWC figures, provided by TXOGA, illustrates the magnitude of the change.

TXOGA-SeptUpstreamJobsIMAGE SOURCE: TXOGA

Staples also cautioned against actions that could impede continued employment growth in the upstream.

“Oil and natural gas jobs power modern life and we do not need political obstacles blocking the rebound of essential jobs,” Staples remarked. “This industry is indispensable to our daily lives and will be a valuable part of the energy mix for future generations. Beyond transportation fuels and power generation, oil and natural gas form the building blocks for 96 percent of the products we use every day like computers and cell phones, medical devices and hand sanitizer, and eye glasses and zippers, just to name a few.”

To contact the author, email mveazey@rigzone.com.



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ettek  |  November 02, 2020
There are tens of thousands of people unemployed/underemployed along the gulf states. Offshore companies are going bankrupt in unprecedented numbers. Unimaginable amounts of gas is being burned off for a few barrels of hydrocarbons availing nothing for our children's energy future. All for a quick monetary satisfaction with no vision of 20 or even 50 years from now. Think about it. If your an investor, you don't care about this. If you WERE an offshore oilfield worker, this is what the failed US energy policy gave you. What has the past four years brought to the offshore industry? NOTHING but pain, misery and suffering.


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