The U.S. Energy Information Administration released information today detailing the extent of the jobs bonanza that Texas has experienced in recent years (Texas leads nation in growth in oil and natural gas production jobs during 2013). 

Accord to the EIA post, "Texas added more than 19,000 new private sector jobs in oil and natural gas production in 2013, almost six times the number added in New Mexico, the next highest state for oil and natural gas production jobs added last year."

It seems like every economic sector in the United States is benefitting from the clean, cheap, and abundant shale gas energy that is being produced in North Texas and elsewhere in the country. 

Many of these benefits come in industries that are not typically associated with natural gas. For example, the American “shale gas revolution is a significant factor behind a recent spate of investments by overseas tire makers” in the United States according to a recent report posted on TireBusiness.com,

Adam O’Neal of RealClearPolitics authored an excellent piece (“Fracking Has Changed the Energy Policy Debate”) that details the incredible political and policy impacts of enhanced American energy production. 

O’Neal notes that while American energy policies of the last several decades have been built around the problems of energy scarcity, this is no longer the case thanks to the American shale revolution that started right here in the Barnett Shale.

The Consumer Energy Alliance posted a list of the top “science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs in the energy field” for students to consider.

CEA thinks that “these opportunities are so good” that young students “may be motivated to double down on their studies. They may decide to make this year the beginning of a great career, a career in the energy field where the need never goes away, the pay is good and the work is always cutting edge.”

Economist Dr. Mark Perry highlighted some astounding information in a recent post on the American Enterprise Institute Carpe Diem blog this week.

According to Dr. Perry, "Texas civilian employment has increased by 12% and by more than 1.32 million jobs” since the beginning of the recession in 2007.” This stands in stark contrast to the stagnation seen elsewhere in the United States as "civilian employment in the other 49 states without Texas is still 0.73% and almost one million jobs below the December 2007 level."

A number of veterans and other members of the community gathered last night at the American Legion Senior Center in Denton to learn more about Barnett Shale natural gas and ask questions of industry experts.

Attendees were eager to learn more about the technical aspects of shale energy production and the impact that the shale energy revolution is having on our nation’s energy security.

Economist Dr. Mark Perry posted some astounding job creation data on his American Enterprise Institute blog. Perry explains that, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas has seen "1.32 million new jobs added since the start of the Great Recession, compared to a net deficit of almost one million jobs for the other 49 states combined. Much of the economic success of Texas in recent years that has fueled job creation in the state is a direct result of the shale oil and gas boom."

The debate over America's energy future is a hot topic across the United States. Shale energy continues to expand in the United States, producing massive jobs gains and substantial benefits to consumers while also cleaning the air and reducing our nation's greenhouse gas emissions. 

This success has frustrated anti-energy activists in Texas and elsewhere. These activists have responded with scare tactics and misleading campaigns to make it more difficult and costly for Americans to develop our shale energy resources. Unfortunately, these efforts to stigmatize shale energy production threaten our nation's economic vitality and energy security.

Texans looking to begin a new career or find a new job in the energy industry should consider attending the Texas Natural Gas Summit and Job Fair in Austin on October 23, 2014. 

The event is hosted by the Railroad Commission of Texas and will "showcase companies that are creating good jobs by increasing the use of Texas natural gas to fuel vehicles and oilfield equipment. Last year oil and gas jobs grew nearly 5 percent statewide and helped Texas lead the nation in job creation. These jobs pay well. The average oil and natural gas worker earns about $107,000 a year."

The Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (also known as TIPRO) released their 2014 State of Energy Report this week. The report “explores the economic impact of the nation’s oil and gas industry from the standpoint of employment, wages, payroll, production and establishments at the state and national level.” Not surprisingly, the report “illustrates the leadership of Texas in nearly all economic and statistical factors in comparison to other oil and gas producing states.”

Texas is the leading state for oil and gas employment “with 411,600 people employed in (this sector) representing 41 percent of all oil and gas jobs nationwide in 2013.” These jobs made up “4.4 percent of total employment in the state of Texas itself.”