New hiring marks possible turning point for energy industry

FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — Jobs in the energy industry are slowly coming back to northwest New Mexico, marking a shift after several setbacks in commodity pricing and market demand for U.S. oil and gas. The Farmington Daily Times reports that producers and oil service companies in the Farmington area are beginning to hire again, falling in line with the local unemployment rate that has shown improvement this year after steadily increasing since 2014. Halliburton's Farmington office posted for more than 30 job openings last month for service operators, supervisors, mechanics and technicians. Halliburton District Manager Larry Kent says the hiring trend is consistent throughout the district and is a result of the increases in local activity. Kent oversees the Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming district. ___ Information from: The Daily Times, http://www.daily-times.com