An analysis of data from U.S. Small Business Administration by Houston Chronicle shows that more than $1 billion in forgivable loans for Texas companies in the federal government’s pandemic relief program saved more than half of the state’s oil and gas industry jobs. The federal government issued 6,610 loans to crude oil and natural gas companies, service providers and related equipment manufacturers with headquarters in Texas. Chronicle said the companies used their loans to retain 93,117 jobs – more than half of the 182,500 people employed by the industry in Texas. Shutdowns caused by the pandemic created record low oil and gas prices that resulted in the loss of jobs by 36,200 Texans in the industry since Jan. 1. The 1,733 companies that received loans of more than $150,000 borrowed a total of from $1 billion to $2.3 billion.