Oil and gas extraction industry employment in the U.S. 1998-2023

The United States oil and gas extraction industry employed some 116,000 people in 2023, including both full-time and part-time employment. The 2020 oil crisis brought about by the coronavirus pandemic led to a decline of 15,000 people in this industry’s workforce, a trend that continued throughout the following two years. Wellhead pumpers make up the largest occupation group in the U.S. oil and gas extraction industry.

Employment at ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil is among the largest employers within this industry. The Texas-based oil supermajor is active in all areas of the supply chain, from hydrocarbon exploration to fuel retailing. In 2023, the number of employees at ExxonMobil amounted to around 61,500 people. This was a loss of over 10,000 jobs when compared to pre-pandemic years.

State-owned supermajors are largest industry employers on global stage

With its workforce of some 60,000 people, ExxonMobil ranks far below any of the largest oil and gas companies by employment worldwide. The majority of companies listed are state-owned enterprises, such as Russia’s Gazprom and China’s PetroChina. As of 2024, both employed around 400,000 people each. India-based Reliance Industries is the largest privately held company within this ranking, providing nearly 390,000 jobs.