News Releases & Statements

Austin, Texas - Citing the latest Current Employment Statistics (CES) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) today highlighted new employment figures showing continued growth in monthly employment for the Texas upstream sector and strong demand for available talent throughout the industry.  

According to TIPRO’s analysis, direct Texas upstream employment for December 2022 totaled 211,200, an increase of 1,300 jobs from November employment numbers, subject to revisions. Texas upstream employment in December 2022 represented the addition of 36,100 positions compared to December 2021, including an increase of 7,000 jobs in oil and natural gas extraction and 29,100 jobs in the services sector. The average monthly gain in Texas upstream employment last year was 3,127.

TIPRO’s new employment data also indicated a significant rise in job postings for the upstream, midstream and downstream industries for the month of December. According to the association, there were 14,482 active unique jobs postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry in December, including 6,953 new job postings added in the month by companies. 

Among the 14 specific industry sectors TIPRO uses to define the Texas oil and natural gas industry, Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations continued to lead in the rankings for unique job listings in December with 4,526 postings, followed by Crude Petroleum Extraction (1,982), and Petroleum Refineries (1,418). The leading three cities by total unique oil and natural gas job postings were Houston (5,688), Midland (1,217) and Odessa (677), said TIPRO. 

The top three companies ranked by unique job postings in December were John Wood Group with 820 positions, Baker Hughes (816) and KBR (576), according to TIPRO. Of the top ten companies listed by unique job postings last month, six companies were in the services sector, followed by two companies in oil and natural gas extraction and two midstream companies. 

Top posted industry occupations for December included heavy tractor-trailer truck drivers (604), managers (414) and maintenance and repair workers (334). Top qualifications for unique job postings included Commercial Driver's License (CDL) (492), CDL Class A License (427) and Master of Business Administration (230).  TIPRO reports that 44 percent of unique job postings required a bachelor’s degree, 34 percent a high school diploma or GED, and 23 percent had no education requirement listed as part of the criteria.

There were 1,758 advertised salary observations, or 12 percent of total oil and natural gas job postings, with a median salary of $52,200. Based on TIPRO’s new full year analysis for 2022, the average annual wage for the Texas oil and natural gas industry was $139,000, with average wages for the Texas upstream sector exceeding $145,000 last year.

When further examining the economic impact of the sector, TIPRO says direct Gross Regional Product (GRP), which is essentially Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for a region of study, for the Texas oil and natural gas industry was $315 billion in 2022, representing 14 percent of the state economy. Texas upstream industry direct GRP exceeded $157 billion last year. TIPRO says indirect employment tied to the Texas oil and natural gas industry also increased in 2022. When calculating direct, indirect, and induced employment for the upstream sector, for every position in Crude Petroleum Extraction, eight jobs are created in other industries, followed by Natural Gas Extraction (seven jobs), Drilling Oil and Gas Wells (two jobs) and Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations (two jobs).

TIPRO also highlights recent data released from the Texas comptroller’s office showing production taxes paid by the oil and natural gas industry to the state of Texas generated $887 million in tax revenue in December. According to the comptroller’s data, in December, Texas oil producers paid $516 million in production taxes, up 15 percent from December 2021. Natural gas producers, meanwhile, last month also paid $371 million in state taxes.

Additionally, TIPRO reports that oil and gas production is on track to continue to rise in the months to come. Oil output in the Permian Basin is forecasted to grow by 30,000 barrels per day (bpd) to hit a record 5.635 million bpd in February, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). In the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas, oil output will also go up next month to total 1.213 million bpd. Overall, U.S. crude oil production is expected to go up by 76,000 bpd and will top 9.375 million bpd in February, projects the EIA. Natural gas production in the Permian Basin will also rise by 109 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/D) and will hit record highs in January at 21.72 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d). Natural gas output in the Eagle Ford Shale is also forecasted to reach 7.4 bcf/d in February, up 46 Mmcf/d from projected January levels. Altogether, EIA forecasts natural gas production in the United States to grow to 96.656 bcf/d in February.

“The oil and natural gas industry continues to have a tremendous impact on our state economy, providing high paying jobs and billions of dollars annually in taxes to support infrastructure investments, education and other essential services,” said Ed Longanecker, president of TIPRO. “We look forward to working with policymakers during the 88^th Texas Legislative Session to fund programs that will help drive further growth in our sector for the benefit of our state, including road repair and maintenance in energy producing areas, seismicity research and produced water pilot projects,” concluded Longanecker.

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Austin, Texas - Texans for Natural Gas (TNG), a project of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO), released its annual methane emissions intensity analysis today, finding the Permian Basin’s rate has fallen by more than 76 percent from 2011 to 2021, even as production increased by over 345 percent in the same period. Year over year, from 2020 to 2021, methane intensity in the Permian fell by 20 percent – a significant reduction over the course of just one year. 

The analysis, Permian Basin Producers: Charting A Cleaner Energy Future, is TNG’s fourth report on methane and flaring intensity in the Permian Basin. The report utilizes data from the World Bank, Energy Information Administration (EIA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Rystad Energy to show how Permian producers are leading the world when it comes to responsibly meeting the world’s growing energy demand.

Report Highlights: 

• METHANE INTENSITY CONTINUES DOWNWARD TREND: Between 2011 and 2021, methane emissions intensity fell by more than 76 percent in the Permian Basin. Since 2011, total oil and gas production in the Permian has increased by over 345 percent. 
• FLARING INTENSITY DECLINED: Flaring intensity in the Permian Basin decreased by over 34 percent from 2020 to 2021. Texas as a whole has also dramatically reduced its flaring intensity. Between 2020 to 2021, the state reduced its flaring intensity by 60 percent.
• PERMIAN CLEANER THAN GLOBAL COMPETITORS: The Permian Basin stands apart from other global producers not only because of its prolific production, but by remaining well below the flaring intensity of other global producers. In 2021, when compared to the Permian, flaring intensity was 2,621 percent higher in Venezuela, and 339 percent higher in Russia.
• PERMIAN MAKING MORE FLARING PROGESS THAN GLOBAL COMPETITORS: Not only is the Permian a leader in low flaring intensity, but it is also helping the U.S. make more progress than any other country in the world. Of the top 10 countries by flared volumes, the United States has made the most progress in reducing its emissions. From 2019 to 2021, the United States has cut flared volumes almost in half – a 49.3 percent decrease.

“Texas’ role as a global energy leader extends well beyond just volumes,” said Ed Longanecker, TIPRO president and TNG spokesperson. “Our state, and the Permian specifically, produces some of the world’s cleanest natural gas. That matters more than ever today, as global unrest is creating energy challenges everywhere. We have what it takes to power the homes, businesses and industries of Americans and our allies. Leaders at home and abroad should take note of the progress Texas producers have made in methane and flaring intensity as they develop policies impacting our industry.”

Intensity – or the amount of methane emitted or flared per barrel of oil equivalent produced – is used as a reliable metric by many organizations across the globe, including the World Bank, the International Energy Agency (IEA) and ONE Future. 

The full report can be found here. 

Austin, Texas - Citing the latest Current Employment Statistics (CES) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) today highlighted new employment figures showing continued growth in monthly employment for the Texas upstream sector and strong demand for available talent throughout the industry.  

According to TIPRO’s analysis, direct Texas upstream employment for November 2022 totaled 209,900, an increase of 2,600 jobs from October employment numbers, subject to revisions. Texas upstream employment in November 2022 represented the addition of 37,600 positions compared to November 2021, including an increase of 7,900 jobs in oil and natural gas extraction and 29,700 jobs in the services sector.

Based on the top three occupations by standard occupational classification, oil and gas roustabouts make up approximately 5 percent of the Texas oil and natural gas industry workforce, followed by first-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers (4 percent) and oil and gas service unit operators (4 percent). When calculating direct, indirect, and induced employment for the upstream sector, for every position in Crude Petroleum Extraction, five jobs are created in other industries, followed by Natural Gas Extraction (four jobs), Drilling Oil and Gas Wells (two jobs) and Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations (two jobs).

TIPRO in its analysis once again noted strong job posting data for upstream, midstream and downstream industries for the month of November. According to the association, there were 11,111 active unique jobs postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry in November, including 3,596 new job postings added in the month by companies. 

Among the 14 specific industry sectors TIPRO uses to define the Texas oil and natural gas industry, Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations continued to dominate the rankings for unique job listings in November with 3,433 postings, followed by Crude Petroleum Extraction (1,523), and Petroleum Refineries (1,137), indicating a continued emphasis on increasing exploration and production activities in the state. The leading three cities by total unique oil and natural gas job postings were Houston (4,299), Midland (933) and Odessa (524), said TIPRO. 

The top three companies ranked by unique job postings in November were John Wood Group with 586 positions, Baker Hughes (541) and KBR (412), according to TIPRO. Of the top ten companies listed by unique job postings last month, six companies were in the services sector, followed by two companies in oil and natural gas extraction and two midstream companies. 

There were 1,234 advertised salary observations, or 11 percent of total oil and natural gas job postings, with a median salary of $52,600. Based on TIPRO’s analysis, the average annual wage for the Texas oil and natural gas industry is $132,000, with average wages for the Texas upstream sector exceeding $139,000 per year.

Top posted industry occupations for November included heavy tractor-trailer truck drivers (497), managers (309) and computer occupations (226). Top qualifications for unique job postings included Commercial Driver's License (CDL) (403), CDL Class A License (346) and Tanker Endorsement (143). When analyzing education requirements for unique industry job postings last month, TIPRO reports that 44 percent required a bachelor’s degree, 34 percent a high school diploma or GED, and 23 percent had no education requirement listed as part of the criteria.

TIPRO also highlights new data released from the Texas comptroller’s office showing production taxes paid by the oil and natural gas industry to the state of Texas generated $980 million in tax revenue in November. According to the comptroller’s data, in November, Texas oil producers paid $570 million in production taxes, up 19 percent from November 2021. Natural gas producers, meanwhile, last month also paid $410 million in state taxes, up 41 percent from November 2021. Funding from oil and natural gas production taxes is used to directly support Texas schools, roads, infrastructure and other essential services.

Additionally, TIPRO reports that oil and gas production is anticipated to continue to grow in the coming months. Oil output in the Permian Basin is forecasted to hit a record 5.58 million barrels per day (bpd) in January of 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). In the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas, oil output will rise by 10,000 bpd next month to total 1.24 million bpd. Overall, U.S. crude oil production is expected to go up by 94,000 bpd and will top 9.319 million bpd in January, projects the EIA. Natural gas production in the Permian Basin will also rise by 119 million cubic feet per day (Mmcf/D) and will hit record highs in January at 21.39 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d). Natural gas output in the Eagle Ford Shale is also forecasted to reach 7.46 bcf/d in January, up 69 Mmcf/d from projected December levels. Altogether, EIA forecasts natural gas production in the United States to grow to 96.28 bcf/d in the first month of the new year.

“TIPRO’s labor analysis continues to show a high demand for employees in the Texas oil and natural gas industry,” commented Ed Longanecker, president of TIPRO. “Ensuring that we have an adequate pool of available talent to fill current and future positions in our sector will be critical to supporting economic growth in our state and providing energy security to our country and allies abroad,” concluded Longanecker.

Austin, Texas - Today, Texans for Natural Gas (TNG), an education campaign of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO), released a new report on how over the past year U.S. natural gas has provided an essential lifeline to Europe amid Russian aggression. The report, “Delivering Energy Security: Texas LNG Is Helping Keep Europe’s Lights On,” examines liquefied natural gas (LNG) export trends following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent European energy crisis.

“Texas energy – from our wells in West Texas to our ports along the Gulf of Mexico – enabled America to meet European gas needs in a time of crisis,” said Ed Longanecker, president of TIPRO and spokesperson for TNG. “This report truly illustrates the critical importance of energy security. Without American natural gas, Europe would have been at the mercy of aggressive foreign powers.”

Key takeaways from the new report include: 

• America drastically increased its LNG exports to Europe: 74 percent of all U.S. exports went to Europe in the first of half of 2022. In that same period in 2021, exports to Europe only represented 34 percent of U.S. LNG exports.
• America shifted LNG exports from Asia to Europe: In June 2021, the top two destinations for U.S. LNG exports were South Korea and China, respectively. In June 2022, the top two destinations for U.S. LNG exports were France and the Netherlands.
• Europe turned away from Russian natural gas: There was a 40 percent decrease in Russian piped natural gas to the EU and UK from January to July 2022.
• Texas helps drive U.S. natural gas production: About a quarter of U.S. natural gas is produced in Texas.
• Texas ports, like Corpus Christi, provided essential infrastructure to meet European demand: 90.1 million tons of LNG moved through Port of Corpus Christi in the first half of 2022.
• Texas export facilities will feed future European demand: About 96 percent of planned U.S. LNG export capacity will be located in the Gulf of Mexico and supplied largely by Texas natural gas.

The complete report can be found here.

Austin, Texas - Citing the latest Current Employment Statistics (CES) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) today highlighted new employment figures showing continued growth in monthly employment for the Texas upstream sector. According to TIPRO’s analysis, direct Texas upstream employment for September 2022 totaled 202,900, an increase of 900 jobs from August employment numbers. Texas upstream employment in September 2022 represented the addition of 34,900 positions compared to September 2021, including an increase of 8,800 in oil and natural gas extraction and 26,100 jobs in the services sector.

TIPRO once again noted strong job posting data for upstream, midstream and downstream sectors for the month of September. According to the association, there were 11,382 active unique jobs postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry in September, including 3,600 new job postings added in the month. While posting data remained strong, job growth slowed in September compared to previous months, likely due to a workforce shortage facing the industry.

Among the 14 specific industry sectors TIPRO uses to define the Texas oil and natural gas industry, Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations continued to dominate the rankings for unique job listings in September with 3,066 postings, followed by Crude Petroleum Extraction (1,558), and Petroleum Refineries (1,108), indicating a continued emphasis on increasing exploration and production activities in the state. The leading three cities by total unique oil and natural gas job postings were Houston (4,181), Midland (1,028) and Odessa (541), said TIPRO. 

The top three companies ranked by unique job postings in September were Baker Hughes with 602 positions, Energy Transfer (498) and KBR (435), according to TIPRO’s analysis. Of the top ten companies listed by unique job postings last month, five companies were in the services sector, followed by three companies in oil and natural gas extraction and two midstream companies. 

Top posted industry occupations for September included heavy tractor-trailer truck drivers (620), managers (322) and maintenance and repair workers (265). Top qualifications for unique job postings included Commercial Driver's License (CDL) (515), CDL Class A License (436) and Bachelor of Science in Business (173). When analyzing education requirements for unique industry job postings last month, TIPRO reports that 44 percent required a bachelor’s degree, 35 percent a high school diploma or GED, and 23 percent had no education requirement listed as part of the criteria.

TIPRO also highlights new data released from the Texas comptroller’s office showing production taxes paid by the oil and natural gas industry to the state of Texas generated over $1 billion in tax revenue in September. According to the comptroller’s data, in September, Texas oil producers paid $552 million in production taxes, up 41 percent from September 2021. Natural gas producers, meanwhile, last month paid $480 million in state taxes, up 91 percent from September 2021.

Additionally, TIPRO reports that oil output in the Permian Basin is forecasted to jump by 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a record 5.453 million bpd in November, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). In the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas, oil output will rise by 18,000 bpd to hit 1.226 million bpd in November, the formation's highest production level since April 2020. Overall, U.S. crude oil production is expected to go up by 104,000 bpd, topping 9.105 million bpd in November, the country's highest output since March 2020, projects the EIA. 

Ed Longanecker, president of TIPRO, said the following: "We continue to see employment and production growth, and high demand for available workers in the Texas oil and natural gas industry despite the many challenges facing producers today. OPEC’s oil output cuts and geopolitical conflicts also make clear why it is so important for the U.S. to encourage domestic production and to continue exporting our resources into the global market. Continued investment in energy infrastructure, like LNG export terminals, pipelines and refineries, is also essential to meeting global energy needs. It's past time to stop using short-sighted ploys to stabilize prices and develop a long-term strategy to address our growing energy needs in coordination with Texas oil and gas producers who are ready to meet this challenge."

"Moreover, constantly pointing the finger at energy producers will not lower global prices," Longanecker continued. "Oil and gas companies are price takers, not price makers. Global energy markets determine the costs of petroleum products. Policies that get to the root of the problem and address U.S. supply of oil and gas resources are what America really needs. This includes tackling production variables, such as streamlining permitting processes for additional infrastructure or increasing onshore and offshore development opportunities."

Austin, Texas - Today, OPEC+ agreed to its deepest production cuts since 2020 when COVID-19 dramatically impacted global demand for oil and natural gas. The decision comes less than three months after President Biden visited Saudi Arabia in an effort to encourage OPEC countries to increase production. The following statement can be attributed to Ed Longanecker, president of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO):

“OPEC’s oil output cuts make clear once again why it is so important for the U.S. to encourage domestic oil and gas production and to continue exporting our resources into the global market. Without Texas oil, the impact of OPEC's cuts would be far greater on prices, U.S. consumers and the current energy crisis facing our allies abroad. This year, President Biden implored OPEC to increase production numerous times, while concurrently undercutting domestic production with policies that hinder oil and gas development. It has become painfully evident that we must develop coherent policy to support growing energy demand. Policymakers and this administration must work with the U.S. oil and natural gas industry to support investments in energy infrastructure and domestic production so we are no longer reliant on OPEC and hostile regimes that use energy as a political weapon.”

Austin, Texas - Citing the latest Current Employment Statistics (CES) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) today highlighted new employment figures showing continued growth in monthly employment for the Texas upstream sector. According to TIPRO’s analysis, direct Texas upstream employment for August 2022 totaled 201,700 an increase of 2,600 jobs from adjusted July employment numbers. Texas upstream employment in August 2022 represented an increase of 33,400 positions compared to August 2021, including an increase of 8,200 in oil and natural gas extraction and 25,200 jobs in the services sector.

TIPRO once again noted strong job posting data for upstream, midstream and downstream sectors for the month of August. According to the association, there were 11,909 active unique jobs postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry in August, including 3,906 new job postings added in the month.

Among the 14 specific industry sectors TIPRO uses to define the Texas oil and natural gas industry, Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations continued to dominant the rankings for unique job listings in August with 3,115 postings, followed by Crude Petroleum Extraction (1,486), and Petroleum Refineries (1,178), indicating a continued emphasis on increasing exploration and production activities in the state. The leading three cities by total unique oil and natural gas job postings were Houston (4,344), Midland (1,225) and Odessa (549), said TIPRO. 

The top three companies ranked by unique job postings in August were Baker Hughes with 714 positions, KBR (481) and Energy Transfer (412), according to TIPRO’s analysis. Of the top ten companies listed by unique job postings last month, five companies were in the services sector, followed by three companies in oil and natural gas extraction and two midstream companies. 

Top posted industry occupations for August included heavy tractor-trailer truck drivers (648), managers (344) and maintenance and repair workers (268). Top qualifications for unique job postings included Commercial Driver's License (790), Master of Business Administration (195) and Tanker Endorsement (185). When analyzing education requirements for unique industry job postings last month, TIPRO reports that 44 percent required a bachelor’s degree, 34 percent a high school diploma or GED, and 24 percent had no education requirement listed as part of the criteria.

TIPRO also highlights new data released from the Texas comptroller’s office showing production taxes paid by the oil and natural gas industry to the State of Texas reached a record $10.83 billion for FY 2022. Strong growth in August came from receipts remitted by the oil and gas mining sector, which were up by nearly 80 percent compared with a year ago.

Additionally, TIPRO reports that oil and gas output in Texas is on track to reach new production records next month. Experts with the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecast that oil production in the Permian Basin, the most nation's most prolific shale oil basin, will rise 66,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a record 5.41 million bpd in October. Oil production in the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas is also expected to increase 26,000 bpd in October, reaching 1.25 million bpd. Further, natural gas production will rise in the Permian to record highs of 20.74 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd), according to the EIA, and in the Eagle Ford, natural gas production will grow to 7.22 bcfd. 

“The continued growth in the Texas oil and natural gas industry, and its critical role in strengthening energy security for our country and allies abroad, is truly extraordinary,” said Ed Longanecker, president of TIPRO. “Our organization and members remain committed to advancing energy policies at all levels of government to support domestic oil and natural gas production to meet growing global demand, and we applaud the millions of hardworking Americans in the energy sector," concluded Longanecker. 

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About TIPRO

The Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) is a trade association representing the interests of nearly 3,000 independent oil and natural gas producers and royalty owners throughout Texas. As one of the nation’s largest statewide associations representing both independent producers and royalty owners, members include small businesses, the largest, publicly-traded independent producers, and mineral owners, estates, and trusts. 

September 15, 2022

Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) President, Ed Longenecker, and member companies will visit Cheniere’s liquified natural gas (LNG) export facility and the Port of Corpus Christi on Thursday, September 15 to promote the importance of domestic oil and natural gas production, energy infrastructure, and petroleum exports.

with access to abundant, affordable gas produced in Texas by TIPRO member companies, the Cheniere liquefaction facility is supplying the growing global energy demand for new sources of reliable, cleaner energy solutions. TIPRO will tour the facility responsible for the liquefaction of natural gas, which is loaded onto double-hulled ships and exported to markets abroad. TIPRO also continues to engage with policymakers at the state and federal level to stress the significant role that domestic oil and natural gas production plays in meeting growing energy demand here and abroad. The group is joined by state officials today in Corpus Christi.

“As the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the United States, and home to the country’s leading LNG exporter and a robust network of ports, Texas is uniquely positioned to supply the energy needed to meet growing global demand,” said Ed Longanecker, President of TIPRO. “Energy security has never been more critical, and our policy decisions must reflect the need for regulatory certainty to support long-term investments in production and energy infrastructure,” added Longanecker.  

The rise in American energy independence culminated in the United States becoming a net exporter of natural gas in 2016, eventually reaching 11.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) in the first half of 2022. The Port of Corpus Christi alone moved a record 90.1 million tons of energy product in the first six months of this year, ranking it second largest in total LNG exports. Exports are projected to continue to grow due to increased global demand.

Texas remains the leading producer of natural gas in the U.S., producing roughly a quarter of the nation’s natural gas. And production in the Lone Star State is helping to change the world by providing access to this foundational, low carbon fuel source. According to Texans for Natural Gas’ report on Texas LNG, the LNG leaving Corpus Christi’s port emits 50 percent less CO₂ than coal when used for power generation in countries like China, India, and Germany, and boasts a 143 percent lower flaring intensity than Russia, who typically supplies these countries.

Natural gas has accounted for almost one-third of total global energy demand and growth over the last decade, surpassing all other fuels. The increased demand for American natural gas has become more pronounced after President Biden promised additional shipments to allies abroad. Last year’s pipeline completions in the Permian alone added an additional 2.1 bcf/d to Texas’ capacity, but if the state is to continue supplying allies with much-needed natural gas, more pipelines must be built. Increased pipeline capacity would help the Basin continue to reduce its methane emissions intensity by quickly moving natural gas away from production areas to domestic customers and LNG facilities.

Cheniere is responding to the rise in global demand for LNG by expanding its Texas facility to add more than 10 million metric tons per year of capacity. With the investments Cheniere is making and robust infrastructure and pipeline growth to handle the increased production in Texas’ Permian Basin, the United States can ship larger amounts of lower-carbon LNG across the world, addressing growing energy needs and helping to reduce emissions.

Austin, Texas -- Texas leaders reviewed the largest regulatory, legislative and legal priorities for oil and natural gas producers during the Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association's (TIPRO) annual Summer Conference hosted last week on August 24-25 in San Antonio. Four congressional members, including U.S. Representatives Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15), Mayra Flores (TX-34), Tony Gonzales (TX-23) and August Pfluger (TX-11), provided remarks at the association's event, along with Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Texas Railroad Commissioner Jim Wright, Deputy First Assistant Attorney General Grant Dorfman, industry executives from Devon Energy and Satelytics as well as other oil and gas experts.

”TIPRO was proud to welcome an impressive lineup of distinguished officials and private sector executives at its two-day conference, which covered a wide-range of topics, including policy priorities for the state's energy sector, leading oilfield innovations and a comprehensive market outlook for the oil and natural gas industry,” said TIPRO Chairman Jud Walker, who also serves as president and CEO of EnerVest Ltd. “TIPRO has continued to have a strong tradition of bringing industry experts, policymakers and its members together to stay abreast of the latest issues and trends facing the upstream sector. Thank you to all of the speakers, sponsors and attendees for this year’s event,” added Walker.

Participating in a moderated discussion with Walker, Clay Gaspar, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Devon Energy, helped kick off the association's conference. Devon Energy, which recently announced plans to expand the company's footprint in the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas, also notably merged with WPX Energy in 2020. Gaspar highlighted Devon's strategy to pursue the accretive transactions, and also spoke of general conditions across the industry that are expected to lead to more consolidation, which he observed would address "natural inefficiencies" in the upstream, midstream and service sectors.

In addition, at the association's Summer meeting, Railroad Commissioner Wright told TIPRO's audience about regulatory work underway at the commission. Wright highlighted rulemakings that are being developed to improve weatherization and emergency preparation measures for critical facilities, which come after Winter Storm Uri impacted Texas in 2021. Commissioner Wright also reviewed with the association other leading industry challenges and regulatory concerns, including the agency's response to seismic activity occurring near oil and gas basins, expanding well plugging remediation efforts in Texas, ongoing emission reductions by oil and natural gas producers and declining flaring rates in Texas. 

With the state's 88^th Legislative Session only a few months away, Lieutenant Governor Patrick also offered an update to TIPRO about interim legislative work at the state capitol that will shape the next legislative cycle in Texas. The lieutenant governor championed policies like Senate Bill 13, adopted by lawmakers during the last legislative session, that prohibits state offices from investing with banking institutions found to be boycotting energy companies or entities involved in the fossil-fuel based energy sector. The lieutenant governor promised to continue to fight for policies that will prioritize and protect the state's thriving oil and gas industry as well as maintain a strong business environment and cut red tape.

Afternoon presentations from Congressman Gonzalez and Congresswoman Flores meanwhile centered on federal policies of relevance to independent producers and royalty owners, including the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, H.R. 5376, that was signed into law by President Joe Biden earlier this month. During their speeches, both congressional lawmakers affirmed the importance of domestic energy production and said more must be done by Congress and the Biden Administration to enable the nation's oil and gas sector to grow.

Grant Dorfman, deputy first assistant attorney general, also informed members of TIPRO about legal challenges pursued by the Texas attorney general's office in defense of Texas' energy industry. Such efforts have escalated significantly over the past year as the state government fights to protect the Texas oil and gas industry from federal overreach by the Biden Administration. Dorfman specifically highlighted lawsuits filed against the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Interior to stop excessive and intrusion regulation by the federal government, which he said were designed to "end fossil fuels." 

Other presenters at the TIPRO Summer Conference last week, including Satelytics CEO Sean Donegan and Marshall Adkins, head of energy for Raymond James, provided other meaningful insights on unique oilfield innovations, as well as expectations for oil and natural gas markets.

"TIPRO's Summer Conference featured many important and captivating conversations centered around the ever-changing policy environment for the Texas oil and natural gas industry," said Ed Longanecker, president of TIPRO. "We appreciate the commentary from our speakers allowing the members of TIPRO and other industry stakeholders to better understand many of the timely issues facing E&P companies and independent oil and gas producers today."

"TIPRO throughout the year provides relevant programs and industry forums allowing energy professionals to learn, engage and network," continued Longanecker. "Forward momentum for the Texas energy sector will require continued collaboration, innovation and leadership. TIPRO is pleased to offer opportunities that support these partnerships and ongoing efforts to promote the essential work of our state's oil and natural gas industry." 

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New TIPRO Analysis Shows Texas Upstream Job Growth Continues While Oil and Gas Industry Again Pays Record-Breaking Taxes

August 19, 2022

Austin, Texas - As drilling activity in Texas continues to increase, so are job levels for the state's oil and natural gas industry. Citing the latest Current Employment Statistics (CES) report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO) today highlighted new employment figures showing significant growth in monthly employment for the Texas upstream sector. According to TIPRO’s analysis, direct Texas upstream employment for July 2022 totaled 202,800, an increase of 6,800 jobs from June employment numbers. Texas upstream employment in July 2022 represented an increase of 35,400 positions compared to July 2021, including an increase of 8,600 in oil and natural gas extraction and 26,800 jobs in the services sector.

The Houston metropolitan area, the largest region in the state for industry employment, showed an increase of 2,000 upstream jobs last month compared to June, for a total of 68,800 direct positions, according to TIPRO. Houston metro upstream employment in July 2022 represented an increase of 11,000 jobs compared to July 2021, including an increase of 5,200 in oil and natural gas extraction and 5,800 jobs in the services sector.

TIPRO once again noted strong job posting data for upstream, midstream and downstream sectors for the month of July. According to the association, there were 13,614 active unique jobs postings for the Texas oil and natural gas industry in July, an increase of nearly 10 percent compared to June numbers.

Among the 14 specific industry sectors TIPRO uses to define the Texas oil and natural gas industry, Support Activities for Oil and Gas Operations once again ranked the highest in July for unique job listings with 3,571 postings, followed by Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (1,674 postings), and Crude Petroleum Extraction (1,624 postings), indicating a continued emphasis on increasing exploration and production activities in the state. The leading three cities by total unique oil and natural gas job postings were Houston (4,864), Midland (1,383) and Odessa (639), said TIPRO. 

The top three companies ranked by unique job postings in July were Baker Hughes with 1,152 positions, KBR (486) and Weatherford International (451), according to TIPRO’s analysis. Of the top ten companies listed by unique job postings last month, five companies were in the services sector, followed by three companies in oil and natural gas extraction and two midstream companies. 

Top posted industry occupations for July included heavy tractor-trailer truck drivers (752), managers (351) and software developers (340). Top qualifications for unique job postings included Commercial Driver's License (870), Master of Business Administration (250) and Bachelor of Science in Business (210). When analyzing education requirements for unique industry job postings last month, TIPRO reports that 43 percent required a bachelor’s degree, 34 percent a high school diploma or GED, and 26 percent had no education requirement listed as part of the criteria.

TIPRO also highlights new data released from the Texas comptroller’s office showing record levels of tax contributions paid by Texas oil and natural gas producers. In July, $694 million in oil production taxes were paid, 84 percent higher than July 2021. Texas energy producers also paid $532 million in natural gas production taxes for the same month, up 185 percent from last July. Both figures represented the highest monthly collections on record, continuing a trend of producers paying record amounts in taxes to the state. Oil and natural gas severance taxes support all aspects of the Texas economy, including roads and infrastructure investments, water conservation projects, schools and education, first responders and other essential public services.

Additionally, TIPRO reports that oil and gas output in Texas is on track to reach new production records in September. Experts with the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecast that oil production in the Permian Basin, the most nation's most prolific shale oil basin, will rise 79,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a record 5.408 million bpd in September. Oil production in the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas is also expected to increase 26,000 bpd in August, reaching 1.230 million bpd. Further, natural gas production will rise in the Permian to record highs of 20.58 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd), according to the EIA, and in the Eagle Ford, natural gas production will grow to 7.1 bcfd. 

“The growth in July upstream employment once again illustrates a high demand for available talent in-line with increasing levels of exploration and production activities in the state to meet growing energy needs here and abroad," said Ed Longanecker, president of TIPRO. "Despite this growth, Texas operators face numerous challenges, including workforce shortages, supply chain disruptions and growing concerns over policy decisions coming from Washington, D.C. TIPRO remains committed to advancing energy policies at all levels of government to strengthen our nation's energy security and economic opportunities," concluded Longanecker. 

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