U.S. oilfield services and equipment sector employment took a step back in November after eight consecutive months of gains, according to a new Energy Workforce & Technology Council analysis of federal data.

Jobless Rate

Using Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, the Council, along with researchers from the University of Houston, found that the sector shed 818 jobs last month. However, that marked a mere 0.1% loss, and it followed a 1.9% gain for the period of August-October. Sector employment has grown at an average monthly rate of 0.92% in 2021.

The Council’s monthly Energy Technology & Services Employment Report showed a peak of more than 109,000 pandemic-related job losses. The study found that job cuts were steepest in April 2020, when the sector lost 57,294 jobs. It marked the...