Maersk To Cut Jobs, as Tyra Closure Looms

Following the organisational review of Maersk Oil headquarters of late 2016, the firm’s Danish business unit said January 9 it expects to cut up to 160 jobs as part of a first phase.

The reorganisation will run during the coming months, but a first phase to reconfigure the onshore organisation will be completed in 1Q 2017 during which all staff would be consolidated at its Esbjerg office.

Maersk on December 30 issued a notification to the Danish gas market, to the effect that “an economically viable solution for full recovery of the remaining resources in the Tyra [gas] field has not yet been identified, and that production from the Tyra field is consequently expected to cease October 1 2018.” Maersk first warned April 2016 it might have to shut Tyra, which it operates.

Tyra East platform in the Danish North Sea (Photo credit: Maersk Oil)

Tyra has since 1984 been the main hub for gas production and processing in the Danish North Sea; more than 90% of Danish gas production is processed through its facilities. Denmark produced 4.5bn m³ in 2014.

“In January 2017, we will have to reallocate resources from Tyra rebuild planning to engineering work for a detailed plan to discontinue the Tyra field as the Danish hub for gas processing,” said Maersk Oil operations chief Martin Rune Pedersen December 30.

Mark Smedley