Wyoming's energy industry appears to be stabilizing after shedding roughly a third of its workers in the past 14 months, many observers say.

David Bullard, a senior economist with the Wyoming Department of Employment, said employment in Wyoming's oil and gas sector crept up by 100 jobs from October to November 2009, rising from 14,300 to 14,400.

While that's only a modest increase, any increase at all is good news for Wyoming's energy industry. Employment in the state's energy sector collapsed over the last year from its level of more than 20,000 workers in late 2008.

"It's a very small increase, just 100 jobs, not statistically significant," Bullard said. "But it may be a tentative sign of things leveling off."

The number of rigs drilling for oil and gas in the state also has leveled off after plunging downward over the past year as well. There were 39 conventional rigs and seven coal-bed methane rigs drilling in the state in November, according to state figures. While that's fewer than half the number that were operating in the state in November 2008, officials say the numbers have been holding steady and even increasing slightly in the past few months.

Jim Robinson, senior economist with the state's Economic Analysis Division, said it now appears that Wyoming has had two or three months in a row in which oil and gas employment numbers have leveled out.

"I think that the industry itself in Wyoming has gotten to the point now where they've found out a sustainable employment force that they need to have in the state at current production," Robinson said.

State severance tax revenues for natural gas were over $34.3 million from the start of the state fiscal year in July through November, according a report Robinson released. That's more than 8 percent ahead of state revenue projections.

The Rockies Express Pipeline became fully operational in November. It carries natural gas from Wyoming and Colorado nearly 1,700 miles to the eastern edge of Ohio. Robinson and others said the pipeline has helped to stabilize prices at the Opal Hub, a pricing point in western Wyoming.

Traditionally there has been significant uncertainty about wintertime gas prices in Wyoming, Robinson said. But he said prices are more stable this year and are moving higher.

Rob Hurless, energy adviser to Gov. Dave Freudenthal, said opening the Rockies Express Pipeline has helped to increase prices for Wyoming gas while also helping to get rid of the traditional price differential between prices in Wyoming and trading hubs elsewhere in the country.