Texas Border Business
Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO)
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) highlighted new employment figures for the Texas oil and natural gas industry. According to TIPRO, employment in the Texas upstream sector increased by 400 jobs between May and June 2026, reflecting a decline of 900 jobs in oil and natural gas extraction (61,900) and an increase of 1,300 service sector jobs (135,800), subject to revisions.
TIPRO’s workforce analysis continues to indicate strong job postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry. According to the association, there were 10,978 unique industry job postings in Texas during the month of June, a slight increase compared to May, and 4,645 new job postings added during the month. In comparison, the state of California had 3,378 unique job postings in June, followed by Pennsylvania (3,167), Ohio (2,763) and Florida (2,278). TIPRO reported a total of 68,473 unique job postings nationwide during the month of June within the oil and natural gas industry, a 5 percent increase compared to May, including 28,567 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 June with 2,502 postings, followed by Gasoline Stations with Convenience Stores (1,859), Petroleum Refineries (819), and Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas (760). The leading four cities by total unique oil and natural gas job postings were Houston (2,770), Midland (698), Odessa (509) and Dallas (486), said TIPRO.
The top four companies ranked by unique job postings in June were Loves (624), Baker Hughes (363), Murphy USA (363), and ExxonMobil (344), according to the association. Of the top ten companies listed by unique job postings in June, five companies were in the services sector, two midstream companies, one gasoline stations with convenience stores, one in the downstream sector, and one fully integrated oil and natural gas company. Top posted industry occupations for June included heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (535), cashiers (380), maintenance and repair workers general (315), and retail salespersons (262).
Top qualifications for unique job postings in June included valid driver’s license (2,049), commercial driver’s license (CDL) (379), and transportation worker identification credential (TWIC) card (198). TIPRO reports that 37 percent of unique job postings required a bachelor’s degree, 33 percent had no education requirement listed, and 32 percent required a high school diploma or GED. There were 2,554 advertised salary observations (23 percent of the 10,978 matching postings) with a median salary of $54,100. The highest percentage of advertised salaries (34 percent) were in the $77,000 to $348,000 range.
Additional TIPRO workforce trends data:
-A list of unique job postings by state in June can be viewed here.
-A sample of industry job postings in Texas for June can be viewed here.
-The top three posting sources in June included www.indeed.com (3,979), www.simplyhired.com (3,194) and www.diversityjobs.com (1,303).
TIPRO also highlights state production taxes paid by Texas oil and natural gas producers that last month totaled $948 million, generating significant tax revenue that will be used to fund essential services and public education. Citing data from the Texas comptroller’s office, TIPRO reports Texas energy producers in June paid $736 million in oil production taxes, which is up 82 percent from June 2025 and the largest monthly collection on record for the tax category. Texas producers also paid an additional $212 million in natural gas production taxes during the month of June.
Further, TIPRO underscores record-breaking oil production achieved by the United States that is providing even greater volumes of crude oil to U.S. consumers and global markets. New data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows the United States remains the world’s largest oil producer, heavily supported by oil output from the Lone Star State. Reporting from the EIA notes crude oil production in the United States, including lease condensate, averaged a record-high 13.6 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2025, breaking the previous U.S. and global production record of 13.2 million b/d set in 2024. U.S. crude oil production was about 40 percent higher on average in 2025 than that from the next two largest global crude oil producers, Russia and Saudi Arabia, according to the EIA. The EIA is projecting U.S. crude oil production in 2026 will remain near 13.7 million b/d, before increasing to 14.2 million b/d in 2027.
The following statement can be attributed to Ed Longanecker, president of TIPRO:
“The past week’s sharp rise in oil prices, driven by renewed conflict between the United States and Iran, illustrates how quickly market conditions can shift for Texas producers. Even with prices trading well above recent breakeven levels, tariffs on steel and other essential materials continue to raise the cost of drilling and completion work, testing the durability of current investment plans.
At the same time, meaningful progress on federal permitting reform offers a rare opportunity to secure lasting regulatory certainty. TIPRO is equally focused on priorities before the Texas Legislature, from produced water rules to inactive well requirements, and will continue working to ensure that state and federal policy keeps pace with the realities producers face on the ground.”
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About TIPRO
The Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) is a trade association representing the interests of nearly 3,000 independent oil and natural gas producers and royalty owners throughout Texas. As one of the nation’s largest statewide associations representing both independent producers and royalty owners, members include small businesses, the largest, publicly-traded independent producers, and mineral owners, estates, and trusts.
