Texas Upstream Employment Drops in January
by Andreas Exarheas
click here to read this article at Rigzone.com
*this article was not written by Roseland Oil & Gas
Texas upstream employment declined at the start of the year, according to a statement sent to Rigzone by the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) recently.
In the statement, which cited the latest Current Employment Statistics (CES) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), TIPRO noted that, according to the Austin-based industry body, employment in the Texas upstream sector decreased between December 2025 and January 2026. Oil and natural gas extraction jobs declined by 600 to 64,300 and support activities employment remained flat with 128,600 employed, the statement pointed out.
TIPRO said its workforce data “continues to indicate strong job postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry in January” following a decline in the fourth quarter of 2025. There were 8,644 unique industry job postings in Texas during the month of January, a 10 percent increase from December, and 3,846 new job postings added during the month, TIPRO outlined. In comparison, the state of California had 2,573 unique job postings in January, followed by Pennsylvania, which had 2,551, Ohio, which had 2,321, and Illinois, which had 2,027, TIPRO highlighted.
Texas upstream employment declined at the start of the year, according to a statement sent to Rigzone by TIPRO recently.
The industry body reported a total of 57,197 unique job postings nationwide during the month of January within the oil and natural gas industry, including 23,072 new postings.
“Among the 19 specific industry sectors TIPRO uses to define the Texas oil and natural gas industry, Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations led in the ranking for unique job listings in January with 1,902 postings, followed by Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores (1,708), Petroleum Refineries (699) and Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas (633),” TIPRO noted in the statement.
“The leading four cities by total unique oil and natural gas job postings were Houston (2,037), Midland (594), Dallas (347) and Odessa (346),” it added.
According to TIPRO, the top four companies ranked by unique job postings in January were Love’s, with 846, Energy Transfer, with 391, ExxonMobil, with 284, and Baker Hughes, with 239. Of the top ten companies listed by unique job postings in January, five companies were in the services sector, two were in the gasoline stations with convenience stores category, two were midstream companies, and one was a fully integrated oil and natural gas company, TIPRO revealed.
“Top posted industry occupations for January included retail salespersons (378), maintenance and repair workers general (302), and heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (285),” TIPRO highlighted in the statement.
“Top qualifications for unique job postings in January included valid driver’s license (1,645), commercial driver’s license (CDL) (225) and CDL Class A License (169),” it added.
TIPRO reported that 37 percent of unique job postings had no education requirement listed, 34 percent required a bachelor’s degree and 29 percent required a high school diploma or GED.
“There were 2,094 advertised salary observations (24 percent of the 8,644 matching postings) with a median salary of $50,800,” TIPRO said.
“The highest percentage of advertised salaries (31 percent) were in the $75,000 to $500,000 range,” it added.
Citing data from the Texas comptroller’s office, TIPRO said tax contributions by the state’s oil and natural gas industry topped $565 million in February.
“The state collected $384 million in oil production tax revenue in February, up marginally from January, and also took in an additional $181 million that same month in revenue from natural gas production taxes, a slight decline from January,” TIPRO noted.
“Funding generated by state oil and natural gas production taxes is used to support public schools, universities, roads, infrastructure and other essential public services,” it added.
TIPRO also highlighted findings from its latest state of energy report in the statement, pointing out that Direct Gross Regional Product (GRP) for the Texas oil and natural gas industry last year was $385 billion, “supporting 36 percent of the state economy”.
“The Texas oil and natural gas industry also purchased U.S. goods and services in the amount of $263 billion in 2025, 81 percent of which came from Texas businesses”, TIPRO said.
In the statement, TIPRO pointed out that “the escalation of tensions with Iran into broader conflict in early 2026 has introduced significant global energy market vulnerabilities”.
“Early January geopolitical risks contributed to modest price premiums, but subsequent military actions and disruptions, particularly the near-complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG flows, triggered the largest supply shock in modern history,” it added.
“As a result, Brent and WTI prices surged dramatically, exceeding 100 to 120 dollars per barrel by March 2026,” it continued.
“For Texas operators, the higher price environment alleviates margin compression, improves cash flows, and could catalyze renewed investment in drilling, completions, and midstream infrastructure,” it went on to note.
“This in turn supports workforce stability and potential job growth in upstream and related sectors, reinforcing Texas’ role as a reliable domestic supplier capable of quickly responding to global signals,” it said.
“However, the volatility also highlights risks of prolonged uncertainty, reinforcing the need for disciplined capital allocation,” TIPRO stated.
In the statement, TIPRO President Ed Longanecker said, “Texas oil and gas producers remain the backbone of American energy dominance”.
“Our state’s leadership in energy policy, innovation, efficiency, and operational excellence has enabled sustained production levels alongside disciplined workforce management. It is essential that federal policies support expanded domestic development through streamlined permitting, reduced regulatory burdens, and pro-energy initiatives,” he added.
“These measures will safeguard high-paying jobs across Texas, bolster investment, expand critical infrastructure, and ensure affordable, secure energy for the nation and our allies,” he continued.
Texas “led the nation” in oil and gas jobs last year with 476,777 people employed in the industry, according to TIPRO’s 2026 state of energy report, which was released last month.
The figure, despite representing almost a quarter of oil and gas jobs nationwide last year, marked a decrease from 2024, when this employment stood at 478,732, the report outlined. This employment came in at 469,847 in 2023, 448,064 in 2022, 415,732 in 2021, and 441,223 in 2020, the report showed.
When incorporating direct, indirect, and induced multipliers for oil and gas employment, the industry supported a total of 2,509,121 jobs in Texas in 2025, according to the report.,
TIPRO’s report revealed that the U.S. oil and gas industry employed 2,043,859 professionals in 2025, which it said represented a net decline of 8,368 direct jobs compared to 2024, “subject to revisions”.
TIPRO, which was founded in 1946, represents nearly 3,000 individuals and companies from the Texas oil and gas industry, the organization’s website highlights. TIPRO describes itself on its site as one of the country’s largest oil and gas trade associations and “the strongest advocacy group representing both independents and royalty owners in Texas”.
by Andreas Exarheas
click here to read this article at Rigzone.com
*this article was not written by Roseland Oil & Gas