Total E&P slashes jobs in Uganda

French exploration company Total is reported to have laid off 30 staff in its Ugandan operations as the company cuts cost amidst the tough economic situation facing many players in the sector.

According to Uganda’s monitor newspaper those affected mainly include field workers who have been working in the company’s acreage in the Albertine Region where it reports to have completed most of the intense activities and is currently awaiting a production license.

More specifically the company is through with the exploration phase with all drilling operations and related activities have been completed and required data having been collected.

“Therefore, Total E&P Uganda has to adapt to the pace of the project, while also taking into account recent trends in the international crude oil price and their impact on our capital intensive industry. To adapt to the current level of activity and the need to reduce costs, synergies with partners in terms of infrastructure and equipment, have been promoted. Total E&P, for example, is now sharing infrastructure with its partner, UK’s Tullow Oil PLC in Buliisa,” the publication quotes a statement from corporate affairs director Ahlem Friga-Noy.

The company however says it has made efforts to assign local personnel to either other company affiliates abroad or on pertinent international training as it seeks to reduce redundancy.

“Notwithstanding, Total E&P has been obliged to also demobilise staff, both in the field and in Kampala. This process started in December 2014 with the demobilisation of expatriates and now with locally recruited staff,” the statement reads.

Apart from Total the Monitor reports that its venture partner Tullow has also laid off about 120 workers in the previous months.

Tullow Oil is the operator in three blocks and has two venture partners including Total and CNOOC following a farm down in 2012 for a total consideration of $2.9bn and effectively unitised the basin equally between all three parties ahead of further appraisal activities and the basin development.