OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy
announced plans Thursday to move or eliminate about 215 positions from
its Charleston, W. Va., office.
     The company says the changes are an attempt to cut costs because
of tightening credit markets and falling energy prices.
     Chesapeake says the West Virginia office will be changed from a
regional corporate headquarters with 225 employees to a regional
field office with about 40 workers.
     The shift will move management positions from the land, legal,
accounting, information technology, geoscience and engineering
departments to the Oklahoma City corporate office.
     The reorganization is expected to be complete on June 30.
     Chesapeake is the nation's largest natural gas producer.