Maersk oil North Sea UK Limited

The oil and gas company Maersk Oil has confirmed it is to cut about 220 jobs in the UK. The Danish operator said it was reducing its workforce by between 10% and 12% globally as part of a drive to cut operating costs by 20% by the end of 2016.

The UK jobs are linked to the retirement of the North Sea Janice oil installation and changes to offshore rotations. Maersk Oil said the move followed an “extensive internal review of business activities and continued low oil prices”.

Related: Thousands of North Sea oil jobs at risk as platform builder fails to win contract

It brings the total number of positions cut from the organisation during 2015 to about 1, 250.

Jakob Thomasen, the Maersk Oil chief executive, said: “These are difficult decisions for any business and my immediate concern is for the welfare of those affected directly by today’s news.

“We are operating in a materially changed oil price environment and have taken necessary decisions to reduce activity levels through 2015 and ensure we focus where we can see adequate returns from our most robust projects.”