Texas Oil and Natural Gas Employment Declines in December

News Summary

In December, Texas oil and natural gas industry faced a downturn with upstream employment dropping by 700 jobs to a total of 195,500. Despite the job loss, active job postings remain high, indicating continued demand for energy sector workers. Major cities like Houston and Midland lead in job postings, highlighting the ongoing opportunities. As production taxes increase, future projections suggest promising growth in crude oil and natural gas production ahead.

Howdy, Texas! A Look at December’s Oil and Natural Gas Employment Snapshot

Well, well, well, Texas residents! As the holiday decorations filled our streets and homes, the oil and natural gas industry was hit with a bit of a reality check this December. The most recent employment data has landed, showing a dip in the number of jobs in the upstream sector. Let’s dive into the figures and see what’s buzzing in the Lone Star State!

A Little Employment Shuffle

The long and short of it is that December wasn’t as jolly as many had hoped. The total upstream employment in Texas came to 195,500 jobs, down by 700 from the previous month. This includes a loss of 500 positions in Oil and Gas Extraction and 200 in the Services sector. Just when we thought the industry was on the rebound after six consecutive months of growth, December had other plans!

Can you remember the good vibes of November? That month saw an upward revision, adding 300 jobs from October, bringing smiles to many faces. However, it seems like December decided to throw a spanner into the works of an otherwise cheerful season.

Job Opportunities Still Flickering

Now, hold onto your hats! While jobs may have taken a hit, the job market still shows some glimmer of hope. Texas oil and natural gas industries are buzzing with potential opportunities! In December, there were 9,012 active unique job postings in the sector, with 2,931 new postings surfacing just in time for the holiday season. Even though the workforce is slightly backtracking, opportunities have sprung up like holiday lights!

Comparing Texas to other states is like comparing barbecue joints—everyone’s got their favorites! California brought in 3,221 unique job postings, while New York followed with 2,318. Florida and Colorado made appearances too, with 1,627 and 1,493 postings respectively. Looking at the big picture, there were 48,362 job postings nationwide within the sector, showing that Texas is still holding its ground!

Shining Stars of Texas

As we break it down by city, it’s clear that Houston, Midland, and Odessa are the shining stars when it comes to job postings. Houston holds the crown with 2,242 active listings, while Midland scores 606, and Odessa isn’t far behind with 394. Among companies, Cefco leads the way with a whopping 947 job postings, followed closely by Love’s with 646, and John Wood Group with 262.

What types of jobs are being advertised, you might ask? Significant postings included openings for first-line supervisors of retail sales workers (523 openings), heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (268), and general maintenance and repair workers (262). While many job seekers still have options with 41% of postings requiring no specific level of education, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on those updates!

Salary Trends and Insights

Now, if you’re curious about what the pay looks like, the median salary for advertised positions sat at a comfortable $60,300. Quite a few positions—around 26%—offer salaries that range from $90,000 to $519,000. There’s definitely something for everyone, whether you’re just starting out or bringing tons of experience to the table!

Tax Contributions and Future Outlook

Despite these employment bumps, Texas energy producers are still making a significant financial impact. In December, they shelled out $431 million in oil production taxes and $214 million in natural gas production taxes, which is a shiny 25% increase from the previous year. These taxes provide crucial support for state programs, public education, and infrastructure cleaning, so there’s a silver lining in those numbers!

Looking to the future, the U.S. Energy Information Administration has exciting predictions. They project that crude oil production could soar to an all-time high of 13.55 million barrels per day by 2025, fueled mainly by the booming Permian Basin. Natural gas demand is also set to increase, with a projected rise of 1.4 billion cubic feet per day by 2025. Though we faced some bumps in December, the road ahead might just be paved with opportunity!

As we wrap up 2024 and get ready to greet a new year, let’s keep our hopes high for brighter employment prospects in the oil and natural gas sector. Texas has a legacy of being a power player in the energy field, and there’s every reason to believe that we will continue strong into 2025!

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

• Texas Border Business
• Wikipedia: Oil Industry in the United States
• Rigzone
• Google Search: Texas oil and gas employment 2024
• Reuters
• Google Scholar: Texas upstream employment
• Odessa American
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Oil Employment
• World Oil
• Google News: Texas upstream employment decline
• CW39