Mature field leads to job cuts

today announced proposed plans for changes to its

headquartered

organisation. BP says the changes are designed to secure a long-term future for the company's oil and gas business in the

.

The upheaval has been attributed to the increasingly mature North Sea field, where declining production and rising costs have created business conditions which BP says are not sustainable in the long term.

BP estimates that somewhere in the region of 350 positions could be affected, from a total onshore staff and contractor workforce of 2,100. There will be no impact on the offshore workforce or on plant-based positions at onshore sites.

‘These plans are an important step in delivering BP's agenda of simplifying how the company is run and ensuring resources are focused on front-line delivery,’ said Andy Inglis, BP's chief executive for exploration and production. ‘Furthermore, they will help secure our continuing presence in the UK's North Sea.’