SAN ANTONIO, TX- The Eagle Ford Shale, a new oil andnatural gas producing field about 45 minutes south of SanAntonio, is already making an impact on the city's economy andcommercial real estate market. By some accounts, oil and gas firmshave leased more than 100,000 square feet of office space herethroughout 2010.

“Prior to the Eagle Ford Shale, there weren’t a lot of large oiland gas companies here in San Antonio,” says Jason Schnittger, avice president with Stream Realty Partners. “It’s attracted somemajor players in the energy sector. We’ve seen several companiesenter the market and create some positive absorption in the officemarket.”

Across Texas, the energy sector continues to generate strongeconomic growth, even in the face of low natural gas prices,according to a recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank ofDallas. The report, titled “Natural Gas from Shale: TexasRevolution Goes Global,” notes the energy sector employment grew atan 11% annual rate in September 2010 and posted 13% growth for thefirst nine months of the year.