Austin, Texas – Citing the latest Current Employment Statistics (CES) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) today highlighted new employment figures showing a reduction in upstream employment in Texas in the month of March. According to TIPRO’s analysis, direct Texas upstream employment for March totaled 204,400, a decrease of 700 industry positions from February employment numbers, subject to revisions. This represented a decline of 900 jobs in the services sector and increase of 200 jobs in oil and gas extraction.
TIPRO’s new workforce data still indicated strong job postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry. According to the association, there were 10,120 active unique jobs postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry last month, including 3,458 new postings. In comparison, the state of California had 2,777 unique job postings in March, followed by New York (2,892), Florida (1,781) and Colorado (1,438). TIPRO reported a total of 53,285 unique job postings nationwide last month within the oil and natural gas sector.
Among the 19 specific industry sectors TIPRO uses to define the Texas oil and natural gas industry, Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores led in the ranking for unique job listings in March with 2,806 postings, followed by Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations (2,247) and Petroleum Refineries (820). The leading three cities by total unique oil and natural gas job postings were Houston (2,212), Midland (635) and Odessa (412), said TIPRO.
The top three companies ranked by unique job postings in March were Cefco (1,200), Love’s (726) and Energy Transfer (307), according to the association. Of the top ten companies listed by unique job postings last month, five companies were in the services sector, two in the gasoline stations with convenience stores category, two midstream companies and one oil and gas operator. Top posted industry occupations for March included first-line supervisors of retail sales workers (620), heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (434), and maintenance and repair workers (306). The top posted job titles for March included assistant store managers (257), customer service representatives (251), and maintenance people (159).
Top qualifications for unique job postings included valid driver’s license (1,661), commercial driver’s license (CDL) (331) and hazmat endorsement (196). TIPRO reports that 44 percent of unique job postings had no education requirement listed, 28 percent required a bachelor’s degree and 28 percent required a high school diploma or GED. There were 1,776 advertised salary observations (18 percent of the 10,120 matching postings) with a median salary of $60,000. The highest percentage of advertised salaries (26 percent) were in the $90,000 to $500,000 range.
Additional TIPRO workforce trends data:
-
A sample of industry job postings in Texas for March can be viewed here.
-
The top three posting sources in March included www.indeed.com (4,724), www.simplyhired.com (2,773) and www.dejobs.org (2,271).
TIPRO also highlights rising tax contributions by the oil and gas industry that continue to support essential government coffers and public services. In March, Texas energy producers paid $425 million in oil production taxes, according to data published by the Texas comptroller’s office. Producers last month also paid $288 million to the state in natural gas production taxes, up from February and 36 percent higher than a year ago.
Additionally, TIPRO points to new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reinforcing the strong role of energy production and development in Texas, particularly in the Permian Basin and Eagle Ford Shale. According to the EIA, the Permian Basin last year produced more crude oil than any other energy-producing region in the country, accounting for 48 percent of total U.S. crude oil production in 2024. Permian production accounted for almost all the nation’s oil production growth in 2024, rising by 370,000 barrels per day (b/d) compared with 2023 to average 6.3 million b/d last year. Natural gas production also jumped last year in the Permian by 12 percent, or 2.7 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), to average 25.4 Bcf/d. In the Eagle Ford, oil production was steady last year at 1.2 million b/d. Eagle Ford natural gas production, meanwhile, averaged 6.8 Bcf/d in 2024. Improving well productivity and technological advancements such as artificial intelligence, electronic hydraulic fracturing technology and automated drilling processes have allowed producers to better optimize operations and helped to support higher production output in formations like the Permian and Eagle Ford.
As a result of recent commodity price movement and significant market volatility, there are high uncertainties in outlooks for future energy supply, demand and prices. Based on current market conditions as of early April, analysts at the EIA are still projecting production growth this year and next in oil and natural gas output. U.S. oil production is forecasted to top 13.6 million b/d in 2025 and rise to 13.6 million b/d in 2026. Rising natural gas prices and increasing demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports will also support higher natural gas production in the U.S. over the coming year.
As priorities in the American energy landscape shift toward securing reliable, affordable, and responsible energy, the United States is once again turning to Texas producers to lead the way. From the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast, Texas operators continue to meet energy demand while embracing new technologies to lower emissions. Recently, federal mandates and regulations at key agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) have shifted, enabling operators to streamline processes for energy production and infrastructure development.
In March, the EPA announced 31 deregulatory actions—its largest such initiative in history. Among these were policies that significantly increased costs and bureaucratic barriers to oil and gas development but failed to actually improve air quality. Removing these hurdles will help lower costs for Americans, remove duplicative or inefficient rules, and empower states and producers to innovate. By reducing compliance costs, producers can now use that capital to reduce emissions through critical infrastructure updates and enhanced environmental controls. These changes also allow states to implement localized solutions that better align with their unique needs and energy priorities.
Similarly, the DOE reversed its pause on LNG export approvals, ending regulatory uncertainty that threatened the U.S.’ ability to deliver natural gas to global allies. In doing so, DOE reaffirmed that regulatory clarity and operational feasibility are key to unleashing American energy dominance.
“By recognizing what’s working, and removing what isn’t, policymakers can support a regulatory environment that promotes energy security, environmental responsibility, and economic growth,” said Ed Longanecker, president of TIPRO. “Sensible and predictable regulations at the state and federal level will enable Texas operators to continue their vital role in providing the energy that fuels our global economy,” added Longanecker.
###
