Despite market uncertainty in the energy market, the upstream sector of the Texas oil and natural gas industry added jobs in May.
The industry also contributed to Texas continuing to break its own employment records again last month, The Center Square reported.
More than 208,200 were employed in the upstream sector in May, an increase of 2,200 jobs from April, according to the latest employment data. The increase represents 600 jobs in the services sector and 1,600 jobs in oil and gas extraction, according to an analysis of the data from the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO).
The upstream sector involves oil and natural gas extraction and some types of mining. It excludes other industry sectors like refining, petrochemicals, fuels wholesaling, oilfield equipment manufacturing, pipelines, and gas utilities that support hundreds of thousands of additional jobs statewide.
Industry jobs pay among the highest wages in Texas, with an average salary of $128,000 in 2024.
