Employment in the Oil and Gas Well Drilling Industry
"Employment in the oil and gas well drilling industry accounted for 63,012 jobs in September 2009, which is the most recent period available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program.

Gulf Coast employment in this industry is most concentrated in a number of Texas counties and Louisiana parishes. Drilling accounts for a much larger share of employment in these localities than is the case for the Nation as a whole.

Nearly a quarter (23.6 percent) of total U.S. Employment in this industry is in Harris County, Texas (Houston), which accounts for 14,881 jobs and 0.9 percent of private sector employment in that county. Drilling's share of Harris County employment is almost 15 times its share of the national total, also known as a location quotient..."