Texas Upstream Jobs Fall 1,200 in July as Record Output Lifts Tax Revenue
Updated
Updated · Texas Border Business · Aug 21
Texas Upstream Jobs Fall 1,200 in July as Record Output Lifts Tax Revenue
1 articles · Updated · Texas Border Business · Aug 21
Summary
Texas upstream oil and gas employment dropped by 1,200 jobs in July to 195,800, the steepest monthly decline of 2026 and the second straight monthly loss.
BLS data cited by TIPRO showed a 300-job decline in extraction and a 900-job drop in services; June was revised from a 400-job gain to a 300-job loss, leaving employment down 1,500 from May’s 197,300 peak.
TIPRO still pointed to 10,951 unique Texas industry job postings in July — including 4,363 new listings — as evidence the pullback may be a pause rather than the end of spring hiring growth.
The softer hiring came even as Texas collected $567 million in oil production taxes and $241 million in gas production taxes in July, up 31% and 36% from a year earlier.
EIA forecasts underscored that contrast: U.S. marketed gas output is seen hitting a record 122.5 Bcf/d in 2026 and crude production 13.8 million b/d, with Texas-led Permian growth driving much of the increase.