(Reuters) - British oil producer EnQuest (L:ENQ) on Wednesday said it will cut 80 jobs at its Sullom Voe Terminal in the Shetland region of the North Sea.
"The organisational changes will require a reduction in the number of permanent positions by approximately 80, of which around 60 are EnQuest employees, by year end," the company said.
EnQuest also announced changes to existing employee terms and conditions.
Britain's Unite Union earlier said it was "dismayed" by EnQuest's decision to cut jobs by a quarter. [nL4N2442PJ]
"Unite will not stand idly by and allow jobs to be sacrificed to facilitate a competitive edge for other projects. We will explore every option including balloting our members for industrial action," John Clark, the union's regional industrial officer, said in a statement.
EnQuest is also in talks with BP (L:BP) to continue exporting oil from the Clair Field west of Shetland and to stop oil potentially bypassing the terminal, the union said.