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BP to cut 700 jobs, Upstream Online reports - Finance news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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BP to cut 700 jobs, Upstream Online reports

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on July 30, 2026

2 min read

· Last updated: July 30, 2026

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BP to cut 700 jobs as it simplifies company, internal email shows

BP Announces Workforce Reductions Amid Company Restructuring

By Stephanie Kelly

July 30 (Reuters) - BP plans to cut about 700 of its non-frontline global workforce, according to an internal email seen by Reuters, as the oil major sharpens its operational focus to bolster profits and returns.

Details of the Job Cuts

The reductions would impact around 8% of the 8,500 non-frontline roles that historically were part of the company's production and operations business, the email showed. Frontline roles include operators, technicians and maintenance roles, and BP said in the email it did not expect any material change to those teams. 

Impacted Roles and Organizational Changes

"If your role is affected, that could mean that it does not exist in the new organization, changes materially, or moves into a different part of the organization," the email said.

BP’s Strategy for Simplification

 BP has been intensifying efforts to simplify its operations in a bid to reduce debt, boost profit and refocus on its oil and gas businesses, after scaling back its investment in renewable energy. Since CEO Meg O'Neill took over in April, BP reorganised into two business segments — upstream and downstream — from three and the new structure went into effect at the start of this month.

Company Structure and Workforce Overview

As of 2025, BP had 93,700 employees and operated across 61 countries, according to its annual report. 

Official Statement and Industry Reaction

“We are building a simpler, stronger, more valuable BP. As part of this process, we are proposing changes that would result in a reduction in roles," a BP spokesperson told Reuters without confirming the number of jobs that will be cut.

Upstream Online reported the news earlier on Thursday. 

(Reporting by Stephanie Kelly in London and Raechel Thankam Job in Bengaluru; Editing by Diti Pujara, Susan Fenton and Tomasz Janowski)

Key Takeaways

  • The reported 700 job cuts involve non–front-line employees globally, signaling a targeted reduction rather than across-the-board layoffs, per Upstream Online's internal email report.
  • Reuters has not independently verified the report, and BP has not issued a confirming statement, underscoring the developments remain preliminary.
  • The potential cuts align with BP’s broader cost-cutting and restructuring strategy, including earlier workforce reductions such as the 4,700 employee and 3,000 contractor job cuts announced in January 2025. (lse.co.uk)

References

Frequently Asked Questions

How many jobs is BP planning to cut?
BP is planning to cut up to 700 jobs from its non-front-line global workforce.
Where did the information about BP's job cuts come from?
The information was first reported by Upstream Online, citing an internal email.
Has BP officially confirmed the job cuts?
As of now, Reuters could not immediately verify the report, indicating that BP has not officially confirmed it.
Which part of BP's workforce is affected by the cuts?
The cuts will affect BP's non-front-line global workforce.

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