Upstream oil and natural gas employment in Texas rose by 13.7% year/year in January to a total of 198,100 jobs, according to the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO).

The figure was up by 1,700 jobs versus December 2022, the group said, citing data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The Houston metropolitan area saw a year/year increase of 6,200 jobs to a total of 66,400 direct positions, TIPRO researchers said. The increase included 400 jobs in oil and natural gas extraction, and 5,800 jobs in the services sector.

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Demand for workers remains strong, the group said. It cited 12,478 active unique job...