Energy workers report job growth in oil sector

Posted on July 12, 2024 by Liz Carey

On Thursday, the Energy Workforce & Technology Council reported that the number of jobs in the energy services sector has increased, outpacing job growth in 2023 by nearly 450 jobs.

The U.S. oil services sector saw employment growth in June 2024, with an additional 968 jobs added, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an analysis by the Energy Workforce & Technology Council found. Across the energy services sector, it now supports 647,636 jobs, the council said.

Nationally, the U.S. economy added 206,000 jobs in June. However, the council said the unemployment rate rose to 4.1 percent, the highest level since October 2021. Officials said the energy sector’s gains are notable given the rising jobless rate.

“This job growth in the oilfield services sector is a positive indicator for U.S. energy production,” said Molly Determan, president of Energy Workforce. “Despite economic challenges facing the nation’s workforce, our sector continues to demonstrate solid growth, driven by technological advances and continued global demand for U.S. oil and gas.”

The council’s analysis found that the top five states for oilfield service jobs were Texas (315,593 jobs), followed by Louisiana (54,078), Oklahoma (49,285), Colorado (26,294) and New Mexico (24,222).

The council said it will continue to monitor labour market trends and advocate for policies that support workforce development to ensure the sector can meet future demand.