It's wheels up to Midland-Odessa in January. Photo courtesy of JSX

Hop-on jet service JSX is adding a new, year-round destination for the millions of Texans who work in oil and gas: Midland-Odessa.

Starting January 15, 2024, JSX will fly nonstop from Houston and Dallas to Odessa Airport-Schlemeyer Field (ODT). According to a release, the schedule and fares will be:

From Houston (HOU) to Odessa (ODT)

  • Regular flight service between Houston Hobby (HOU) and Odessa Airport-Schlemeyer Field (ODT), Monday through Thursday, two flights per day.
  • Introductory fares start at $309 (one-way) and include at least two checked bags (with weight/size restrictions), onboard cocktails and snacks, and free Starlink Wi-Fi.

FromDallas (DAL)toOdessa (ODT):

  • Regular flight service between Dallas Love Field (DAL) and Odessa Airport-Schlemeyer Field (ODT), Monday through Thursday, two flights per day.
  • Introductory fares start at $279 (one-way) and include at least two checked bags (with weight/size restrictions), onboard cocktails and snacks, and free Starlink Wi-Fi.

As with all JSX domestic flights, customers may check in just 20 minutes before departure (hence, the "hop-on" idea) and fly out of crowd-free private terminals. In Houston, that terminal is at Houston Hobby airport (8919 Paul B Koonce St.) and in Dallas, at Dallas Love Field (8555 Lemmon Ave.).

“JSX is proud to support Texas' energy economy by introducing our unique 'hop-on' jet service with daily flights connecting business commuters from Dallas and Houston to Odessa at the start of 2024,” says JSX CEO Alex Wilcox in the release. “Not only is Odessa central to the Permian Basin, but it's also home to companies powering some of the nation's largest wind and solar farms. We take pride in supporting those who supply the energy we all depend on every single day.”

JSX continues to tout its "no crowds, no lines, and no fuss" travel experience that made them especially popular during the pandemic.

Passengers have access to valet parking, touchless check-in, Wi-Fi lounges, and speedy baggage retrieval. The 30-seat planes are now beaming up to SpaceX's Starlink Wifi, and there's a pet-friendly policy that allows small dogs and cats to fly for a small fee.

The air carrier now serves routes across more than two dozen key North American markets. In 2023 and beyond, JSX plans to expand both its domestic and international flight service with new routes and expansion plans underway, they say.

View their full route map here. All flights are available for booking via the JSX website.

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This article originally ran on CultureMap.

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New report maps Houston workforce development strategies as companies transition to cleaner energy

to-do list

The University of Houston’s Energy University latest study with UH’s Division of Energy and Innovation with stakeholders from the energy industry, academia have released findings from a collaborative white paper, titled "Workforce Development for the Future of Energy.”

UH Energy’s workforce analysis found that the greatest workforce gains occur with an “all-of-the-above” strategy to address the global shift towards low-carbon energy solutions. This would balance electrification and increased attention to renewables with liquid fuels, biomass, hydrogen, carbon capture, utilization and storage commonly known as CCUS, and carbon dioxide removal, according to a news release.

The authors of the paper believe this would support economic and employment growth, which would leverage workers from traditional energy sectors that may lose jobs during the transition.

The emerging hydrogen ecosystem is expected to create about 180,000 new jobs in the greater Houston area, which will offer an average annual income of approximately $75,000. Currently, 40 percent of Houston’s employment is tied to the energy sector.

“To sustain the Houston region’s growth, it’s important that we broaden workforce participation and opportunities,” Ramanan Krishnamoorti, vice president of energy and innovation at UH, says in a news release. “Ensuring workforce readiness for new energy jobs and making sure we include disadvantaged communities is crucial.”

Some of the key takeaways include strategies that include partnering for success, hands-on training programs, flexible education pathways, comprehensive support services, and early and ongoing outreach initiatives.

“The greater Houston area’s journey towards a low-carbon future is both a challenge and an opportunity,” Krishnamoorti continues. “The region’s ability to adapt and lead in this new era will depend on its commitment to collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity. By preparing its workforce, engaging its communities, and leveraging its industrial heritage, we can redefine our region and continue to thrive as a global energy leader.”

The study was backed by federal funding from the Department of the Treasury through the State of Texas under the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012.

Houston geothermal startup selects Texas location for first energy storage facility

major milestone

Houston-based geothermal energy startup Sage Geosystems has teamed up with a utility provider for an energy storage facility in the San Antonio metro area.

The three-megawatt EarthStore facility will be on land controlled by the San Miguel Electric Cooperative, which produces electricity for customers in 47 South Texas counties. The facility will be located in the town of Christine, near the cooperative’s coal-fired power plant.

Sage says its energy storage system will be paired with solar energy to supply power for the grid operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). The facility is set to open later this year.

“Once operational, our EarthStore facility in Christine will be the first geothermal energy storage system to store potential energy deep in the earth and supply electrons to a power grid,” Cindy Taff, CEO of Sage Geosystems, says in a news release.

The facility is being designed to store geothermal energy during six- to 10-hour periods.

“Long-duration energy storage is crucial for the ERCOT utility grid, especially with the increasing integration of intermittent wind and solar power generation,” says Craig Courter, CEO of the San Miguel Electric Cooperative.