Oil and gas jobs up in 2011

Oil and gas jobs in Wyoming rose sharply in 2011, according to the state Economic Analysis Division.

There were more than 18,000 drilling, mining and support jobs in Wyoming as of November. That’s almost 3,000 more than a year before.

State Senior Economist Jim Robinson says these jobs are a subsector of the mining industry, and this growth is a sign of a thriving energy industry.

"That has been the kind of wild card for Wyoming since we’ve had fairly decent energy development in the state," Robinson said. "If you watch that subsector, that can give you a heads up on any type of energy activity going on in the state.

Robinson cautions however, that abundant natural gas exceeding demand could mean an imminent slow-down in Wyoming’s natural gas development.