CALGARY, Alberta, March 18 (Reuters) - Talisman Energy Inc, the Canadian oil and gas company being acquiredSpain's Repsol SA, plans to cut as much as 15 percentof staff at its Calgary head office as a result of collapsingcrude oil prices, a company spokesman said.
Around 150 to 200 employees and contractors will be laidoff, Talisman spokesman Brent Anderson said, and employees willbe notified beginning this week.
Other Canadian producers that have already announced jobcuts include CNOOC-owned Nexen Energy, Suncor EnergyInc and Royal Dutch Shell.
"With low oil prices we have reduced our 2015 capitalspending plans and with that reduced activity comes therequirement to make (job) reductions," Anderson said. "No oilcompany is immune to the low oil price and we are no exception."
Talisman cut its capital spending this year to $2.1 billion,down about 30 percent from 2014 levels, joining a slew of otherCanadian producers who slashed budgets as crude prices tumbled.
Benchmark U.S. crude prices hit a six-year low of$42.05 a barrel on Wednesday and have more than halved sincelast June.
Repsol is awaiting regulatory approval, expected mid-year,to buy Canada's No.5 independent oil producer for $8.3 billion.The Spanish producer will also assume Talisman's $4.7 billionlong-term debt. (Reporting by Nia Williams; Editing by Bernadette Baum)