The oil services group Schlumberger is to cut 9,000 jobs, or about 7% of its workforce, as it focuses on controlling costs amid plummeting oil prices. The company said it took charges amounting to $1.77bn in the fourth quarter, including impairment charges related to its seismic business, Venezuela currency devaluation and job cuts. Schlumberger had said last month that it would take a $1bn charge related to jobs cuts and the writedown of some seismic vessels. Philip Van Deusen, an analyst with Tigress Financial Partners, said: "They did say they would be cutting jobs, but the magnitude of them is definitely a shocker." A number of global oil companies such as BP and ConocoPhillips have cut jobs after a fall of nearly 60% in oil prices over the past six months. Brent crude closed at $47.67 on Thursday. Robin Shoemaker, analyst with KeyBanc Capital Markets, said: "If oil prices stay at this level, none of these companies would just be able to adjust with one round of workforce reductions."