Upstream oil and gas employment in Texas climbed to 183,400 in October, representing an increase of 2,300 jobs from September and the sixth straight monthly increase, the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) recently reported.

October’s jobs increase was somewhat less robust than TIPRO’s 2,900 increase for September, but the head of the trade association conveyed a positive outlook for the state’s upstream employment for the foreseeable future.

“Following a tumultuous year for the energy markets in 2020 and the lingering effects of a global pandemic, the law of supply and demand has driven commodity prices higher this year with a growing consensus around a new, multi-year super cycle for oil and natural gas,” said President Ed...