Quantcast
Exxon Mobil to cut 700 jobs in Houston -government notice – Metro US

Exxon Mobil to cut 700 jobs in Houston -government notice

FILE PHOTO: An Exxon gas station is seen in Houston
FILE PHOTO: An Exxon gas station is seen in Houston

(Reuters) – Exxon Mobil Corp will lay off more than 700 workers in the Houston area, according to a notice it sent to the Texas Workforce Commission posted on Friday.

The largest U.S. oil producer had previously said it would cut its global workforce by about 15%, or around 14,000 jobs, including deep cuts in the United States.

Exxon and other oil companies have been slashing costs due to a collapse in oil demand due to the coronavirus pandemic and ill-timed bets on new projects.

The layoff date is Feb. 2, according to the notice. The 700 jobs are part of around 1,900 U.S. cuts anticipated, which the company has said would come mainly from its Houston-area campus, the headquarters for its U.S. oil and gas businesses.

Exxon last month said it would write down the value of natural gas properties by $17 billion to $20 billion, its biggest ever impairment, and slash project spending next year to its lowest level in 15 years.

It had about 88,300 workers, including 13,300 contractors, at the end of last year.

(Reporting by Jennifer Hiller in Houston; Editing by Marguerita Choy)