Declining oil prices forcing major industry firms to cut jobs in northeastern Oklahoma

TULSA, Okla. – Declining crude oil prices have forced three major industry firms with strong northeastern Oklahoma ties to lay off workers.

The Tulsa World reports (http://bit.ly/1CaBwHR ) that Apache Corp., Baker Hughes and Schlumberger have begun laying off employees in response to the oil price crash in the past six months.

Two weeks ago, Denver-based producer SM Energy announced it would close its Tulsa office, which employs 100 people.

Apache Corp. has announced across-the-board job cuts that will likely impact several hundred employees companywide and at least some in Tulsa. The Houston-based oil and gas producer is one of the nation's bigger independent firms.

Houston-based oilfield service firm Schlumberger is letting go of 9,000 employees and would not say whether the layoffs will directly affect workers at its Bartlesville plant.

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Information from: Tulsa World, http://www.tulsaworld.com