Employers Struggle To Fill Open Jobs In South Texas

If there is one thing we can say without question, the Eagle Ford has created a job boom across South Texas. A recent UTSA study estimates the oil & gas industry supports over 116,000 jobs across a 20 county area impacted by the play. It's great news, but it also means common positions that don't pay as much have a hard time filling openings. 

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“My guess is they are going to have to raise wages to more than the $26,700 paid currently.”

Tax Revenues Rising Rapidly - Eagle Ford Shale

Benefits of the Eagle Ford Shale reach much farther than the drilling rigs. Corpus Christi is realizing a 12% increase in tax revenues year over year and areas in the heart of development are seeing increases several times greater.

George West in Live Oak County, for example, received a monthly allocation of more than $57,000, which is 56 percent higher than December 2010's payment.

Through the December payment, George West is up 54 percent with more than $616,000, figures show.

Beeville's monthly allocation increased about 40 percent over December 2010, and the city is up 26 percent in collections with about $3.4 million.

Alice, away from the heart of drilling activity in Jim Wells County, continues to enjoy the retail and other side benefits of drilling as hotels are built and stores expand.

Alice's allocations top $15.3 million, which is 44 percent higher than by the same time in 2010.

Alice TX Oil Boom Adds Jobs and Sale Tax Revenue

Alice, TX is just the latest town in a series of many that are reporting on the oil boom in South Texas. The Eagle Ford Shale has filled hotels for what will likely be many years to come. Sales tax revenue is up almost across the board and the great thing is activity should continue to grow over the coming months. If oil prices hold, this is the beginning of long-term oil and gas development.

"Alice has its hotels booked, stores expanding and businesses hiring."

"Those are the benefits of being swept up in the economic flood that is Eagle Ford shale production, City Manager Ray De Los Santos Jr. said."

" 'It's not tourism, it's industry that's keeping those hotels filled and those restaurants full,' De Los Santos said."

"Workers spending extra cash on lodging, eating and shopping has Alice's sales tax revenues up 43 percent for the year."