Texas’ direct upstream natural gas and oil industry job count was 194,900 in June, translating into a 6,100-job gain from May, the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) reported last week.

“As expected, the dip in May upstream employment appeared to be an anomaly, and June numbers reflect continued demand for talent and increasing exploration and production activities in the Texas oil and natural gas industry,” said TIPRO’s President Ed Longanecker.

TIPRO, which obtains its employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, also noted that Texas’ June upstream job count represents a 31,000 year/year increase. The oilfield services (OFS) sector accounted for 22,700 of those new jobs, with the remaining 8,300 ascribed to oil and gas...