Texas upstream oil and gas employment declined by 1,300 jobs in September 2025 compared to August, according to data from the Texas Workforce Commission, which resumed publishing employment statistics following a federal government shutdown.
Despite the September decline, the sector has added 3,900 jobs through the first nine months of 2025. Total upstream employment stood at 204,800 in September, up 1,900 jobs or 0.9 percent from the same month in 2024.
Industry Response
Todd Staples, president of the Texas Oil & Gas Association, acknowledged the monthly decline reflects broader global market pressures.
“The recent downward cycle of the upstream job count confirms Texas is not immune to circumstances facing global oil markets,” Staples said. “As a major oil exporter for the United States, the Lone Star State must remain competitive on the worldwide stage.”
Context
The September job loss follows a pattern of volatility in Texas upstream employment throughout 2025. The sector added 2,200 jobs in May and 1,700 jobs in April, but lost 2,700 jobs in June.
Upstream jobs encompass exploration and production activities, including drilling, well servicing, and field operations. Texas accounts for roughly 40 percent of total U.S. crude oil production and remains the nation’s largest oil and gas producing state.
The employment data release had been delayed due to a shutdown affecting the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which collaborates with state workforce agencies on employment surveys.
