Exxon Layoffs to Affect at Least 45

At least 45 Exxon employees in Thousand Oaks will lose their jobs as part of the company’s nationwide effort to cut costs and improve efficiency, company officials said.

Meanwhile, Unocal Corp., which was founded in Santa Paula in 1890, is offering its California oil and gas operations for sale, company officials announced.

The announcements are part of separate efforts by both companies to restructure, officials said.

At Exxon, which is headquartered in Houston, Tex., spokesman Les Rogers said the company also is offering a voluntary separation package to all its 125 employees in Thousand Oaks. Rogers said Exxon will make all layoff decisions by Sept. 1, after seeing how many employees take the voluntary offer. The company also is making an effort to transfer employees, he said.

Project planning and engineering operations will move to Houston, while production operations and technical personnel will remain in Thousand Oaks, he said.

Last year, Exxon announced it was selling its West Hillcrest Drive offices for $21 million and moving from the area. But a buyer has not been found for the building. Rogers said he did not know if the 80 remaining employees would continue to work in that complex.