Apache Tells Regulators 98 Mariner Employees Will Lose Jobs

Apache Corp. (APA) has warned Texas regulators that it plans to lay off 98 employees of Mariner Energy Inc. (ME) once the oil and natural gas production companies have finalized their planned merger.

Mariner shareholders are scheduled vote on Apache's $2.7 billion bid for its smaller rival on Nov. 10 in Houston.

In a letter to the Texas Workforce Commission dated Oct. 14, Apache said that it has offered jobs to 141 of Mariner's 239 employees. The 98 employees not offered positions will work through Dec. 14 and will be offered a severance package, Apache said.

"As is typical in merger transactions, there are a number of overlapping skill sets and job classifications," wrote Mark Forbes, Apache's manager of corporate and domestic human resources.

Among those losing their jobs are 38 accountants, 14 landmen, eight executives, eight geologists and three lawyers, Apache said.

Apache told regulators that it added 156 U.S. employees so far this year, about half of which were in the Houston area, where both Apache and Mariner are based. And Apache said it planned to add "several hundred employees by the end of 2010" in the U.S.

An Apache spokesman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

-By Ryan Dezember, Dow Jones Newswires; 713-547-9208; ryan.dezember@dowjones.com

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