Williams To Close Oklahoma City Office, Move Hundreds Of Jobs To Tulsa

Williams Companies announced Wednesday afternoon it is shutting down its Oklahoma City office July 30, 2017.

The company plans to move the majority of the 400 current OKC positions to its Tulsa headquarters or other Williams locations, Williams wrote in a news release.

"We also expect this consolidation process to result in the elimination of some of the Oklahoma City-based positions. If an Oklahoma City role is ultimately eliminated, an impacted employee would receive a comprehensive severance package," the company said in its statement. 

The energy company said this is part of an effort to simplify and reorganize its structure and referenced its September 7, 2016, news release that announced organizational changes and the consolidation by early 2017 of its number of operating areas from five to three. 

Williams said it has plans to centralize operations support and corporate services, allowing for "cost and management efficiencies." 

"Williams values our Oklahoma City-based employees and the talents they bring to the company and industry," the company said in the statement. "As soon as possible, but no later than the end of January, the company expects to be in a position to provide each Oklahoma City employee with the impact this job consolidation effort will have on their specific role." 

Williams Companies laid off 10 percent of its workforce earlier this year. 

3/29/2016 Related Story: Layoffs Underway At Tulsa's Williams Companies