Now Hiring: Led by Texas, U.S. OFS Employment Hits Post-Pandemic High
Employment in the U.S. oilfield services and equipment (OFS) sector last month reached its highest level since a pandemic-induced reduction in the number of jobs that began in March 2020, according to the Energy Council Workforce and Energy Technology (Energy Workforce).
The group publishes a monthly state-by-state report based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Employment in the OFS rose by about 4,677 jobs from November to reach 650,587 in December, preliminary BLS data showed. November’s adjusted number of 645,910 was up from the preliminary number of 645,486, the Energy Workforce said.
“Our industry is hiring and continues to build its workforce across America to ensure we are meeting the growing global demand for energy,” said Energy Workforce CEO Leslie Beyer. The growth trend “is encouraging for our industry and workforce that was forced to make significant reductions in 2020. Even with a reduced workforce, our industry has been able to meet increases in demand and is producing close to pre-pandemic levels , while developing new technology and deploying innovative production processes that are reducing emissions.”
Beyer added, “Further investment and a level-headed regulatory landscape are needed to unlock the full power of American energy, providing energy security for our nation and that of our allies, while continuing to reduce global emissions and lowering energy costs.” .
The number of jobs in December is 56,000 less than the pre-pandemic total of 706,528 in February 2020, Energy Workforce said.
Texas had the highest number of jobs in December in the OFS with 317,031 jobs. Upstream employment in the Lone Star State has grown steadily since late September 2020.
Louisiana came in second last month with 54,324 jobs, followed by Oklahoma (49,510), Colorado (26,414), New Mexico (24,332) and California (23,811). Rounding out the list were Pennsylvania (23,551), North Dakota (20,233), Wyoming (15,094), Ohio (10,800), Alaska (10,084) and West Virginia (9,954).
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U.S. employers as a whole added 223,000 jobs in December, up from 263,000 added in November, BLS data showed.
“The participation rate rose slightly to 62.3% in December and the overall unemployment rate fell to 3.5%,” Energy Workforce said. “While the labor market remains relatively strong, it is cooling compared to the first two quarters of 2022. Additionally, the largest employment growth has come in the leisure and hospitality, healthcare and construction sectors. “
Meanwhile, the US rig count showed a slight week-over-week decline for the week ended Friday (January 6), although it rose 32% year-over-year. The Energy Information Administration, for its part, is modeling a 535 MMcf/d increase in natural gas production for January versus December, led by growth in the Haynesville Shale. Meanwhile, oil production is seen rising by 94,000 barrels per day, led by the Permian Basin.
