EIGHTY jobs are set to go at Sullom Voe Terminal on Shetland as EnQuest looks to reduce its costs.

Of the 80 budgeted positions set to be cut, 60 of these are EnQuest roles, with the others contracted jobs.

Voluntary redundancy is being offered and the company wants to minimise compulsory redundancies.

Sullom Voe Terminal general manager Craig Lennox said the cuts represented 20% of EnQuest’s current headcount.

He said the company, which is cutting costs with the aim of attracting new business, is looking to have the changes in place “by the start of next year”.

As the operator, EnQuest has already reduced the operating cost of Sullom Voe Terminal by one quarter to £150 million.

It took over running the terminal in 2017 from BP and it sought to make operations more efficient.

The job losses come at a time when the export of oil from the Clair field is being reviewed by pipeline operator BP. It is thought the future of the terminal would be placed into jeopardy if it is decided that Sullom Voe should be bypassed when exporting oil from the Clair field.

Lennox said yesterday that EnQuest started the process of advising its employees on Tuesday.

“We will be in a position to consult with them formally later this month,” he added, saying some of the staff could be offered posts elsewhere in EnQuest.

Chairman of Shetland Islands Council’s development committee, Alastair Cooper, said the news was “expected to some extent”.

“I’m very disappointed we’ve lost 80 good jobs, but at the same we need to look to the long term and this will be a step towards hopefully securing the long term future.”