Upstream oil and gas employment in Texas gained 4,300 jobs in March, which brought the statewide headcount to 184,700, the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners (TIPRO) reported earlier this month. 

txoga jobs graph

The trade group noted the sharp jump in Permian Basin drilling permits issued in February. Exploration and production (E&P) companies also have begun to respond to “higher commodity prices and the call to increase domestic production to address global supply shortages.”

TIPRO, which uses data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment Statistics report, added that the state upstream headcount was up 21,700 jobs year/year. The annual increase included 18,100 more oilfield services (OFS) and 3,600 more E&P-related jobs, the organization said. Nationwide,...