Texas Border Business
AUSTIN, Texas — According to newly released data from the Texas Workforce Commission, oil and natural gas exploration and production employment increased by 400 jobs in August 2026 compared with July 2026.
“One of the best hedges against geopolitical shocks is controlling your own energy supply. The men and women who explore, drill, and produce are an integral reason Texas leads the nation in energy production and why America remains the world’s leader in delivering safe, reliable energy,” said TXOGA President Todd Staples.
BACKGROUND:
“Upstream employment” in the oil and natural gas industry refers to jobs that focus on locating and extracting energy resources.
Total upstream salaried employment was 195,900 jobs in August 2026, up 500 jobs from a year earlier.
The full economic reach of the Texas upstream sector extends much further. These upstream positions support an additional 232,000 indirect jobs within the supply chain and 420,000 induced jobs supported by household spending across the economy. In total, the upstream oil and natural gas sector alone sustains a total of 848,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs.
Since September 2020, Texas upstream oil and gas employment has increased by 38,900 jobs, a gain of nearly 25 percent.
