After a two-year downturn that prompted tens of thousands of layoffs in the oil and gas industry, a slow but steady recovery is underway in the Eagle Ford Shale. During a Tuesday morning panel discussion, participants of the Eagle Ford Consortium's regional meeting at Laredo Community College said that stable crude oil prices in the $50 to $54 per barrel range are allowing companies ratchet up activity up again. Increasing hotel occupancy, rig counts, drilling permit filings and employment ads…