Norwegian operator Statoil said it has decided not to proceed with evaluations of a potential business centre in Europe.
The decision was made at a meeting with employee representatives today.
The company said it agreed further efficiency improvements and cost reductions were needed, and that employee representatives and management must continue with their efforts to identify other actions to achieve this.
Chief financial officer Jakob Hegge said:“Our industry is currently facing a very demanding situation. Substantial, lasting cost reductions are therefore needed.
“There is a joint understanding of this by the company and the employee representatives. We have agreed to intensify our efforts to identify other measures that will enable us to achieve additional rationalisation and cost reductions.”
The decision today comes after the company had previously started investigating the basis for a business centre outside Norway to cut costs.
The evaluations were part of the efforts to increase Statoil’s competitiveness in an environment of sustained low commodity prices that call for lasting cost reductions.
Selected services within business support and procurement were in scope for this centre. The considered number of employees was around 180, approximately half of them internal positions.
Hegge added:“The evaluations have been thorough, and after an overall evaluation we choose not to progress this work. We must therefore identify other measures to reduce the level of costs. Management and employee representatives share a common goal of strengthening the company’s competitiveness and profitability.”
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