Texas led the nation in new private sector oil and gas production jobs last year by a wide margin, according to the Energy Information Administration. The 19,000 new oil and natural gas sector jobs added in Texas surpassed by almost six times the number added in runner-up New Mexico.
Oil and natural gas production job growth has outpaced the national average of private sector job growth in the past decade. Jobs in oil and gas production increased 28% from 2009 to 2013 after a net loss during the Great Recession. Average wages of oil and gas production jobs were more than twice the average wage for all private sector industries in 2013.
Most of the oil and gas job growth has occurred in Texas, home of the Eagle Ford shale play and much of the Permian and Haynesville formations. North Dakota, which contains most of the Bakken formation, and New Mexico, which has four counties that include Permian Basin fields, were among other states contributing to oil and gas job growth.
EIA’s study measured on-the-ground production jobs and did not reflect jobs at corporate headquarters based in Texas.
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