Shell To Cut 90 North Sea Jobs Following Enterprise Takeover

Shell said approximately 90 positions will be eliminated in Aberdeen following its takeover of Enterprise Oil. An Aberdeen spokeswoman for Shell said all staff had been advised that employee numbers had to be rationalized as a result of the Enterprise acquisition. The Enterprise premises in the city's Guild Street, which housed 237 people, are expected to close. It is anticipated that Aberdeen employees of Enterprise will be relocated in the Shell offices, where about 1,400 people work.

The spokeswoman said the company had now formally entered into a 90-day consultation period with workers who will be affected. "We have identified the skill pools that are potentially surplus and intend to carry out a joint selection process between Shell and Enterprise staff. "As a result of the integration, we have advised staff that between 50 and 90 positions have been identified as surplus to the combined organization." The spokeswoman pointed out that some surplus staff may find alternative jobs in Shell or the wider Shell Group. Others may take voluntary severance. It is understood there will be few compulsory redundancies, possibly under 10. The spokeswoman added: "We are very proud of our track record in the way we handle job changes, and we have had very few compulsory redundancies over the years."

Enterprise had about 650 employees worldwide. Shell said in April when the takeover was announced that 100-150 positions could be expected to be eliminated. Enterprise had 47 offshore staff in the North Sea and they are unaffected by the job cuts. Earlier in the year, Enterprise said a third of its 300 London staff were being let go to save £20million a year.

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