Time will tell if the trend will continue.

Jesus Loreto, an attorney representing Tomeu Vadell, one of six U.S. oil executives jailed for three years in Venezuela, shows a letter written by Vadell, in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020. The so-called Citgo 6 are employees of Houston-based Citgo refining company, which is owned by Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA. Despite his circumstances, Vadell held out hope. With encouragement from his family, Vadell broke his silence, taking a risk relatives said was necessary. During his 35-year career with PDVSA and Citgo, Vadell ended up running a refinery in Lake Charles and then became vice president of refining.

HOUSTON – Chevron Corp. is asking employees to reapply for positions as part of a “cost-cutting program expected to eliminate up to 15% of its workforce," according to Reuters. Nearly 700 employees in Houston will be laid off starting Oct. 23, according to a notice Chevron sent to the state of Texas. The layoffs will affect workers at Chevron’s downtown offices: 1400 Smith, 1500 Louisiana, 1600 Smith and 2 Allen Center, according to the Houston Chronicle. This summer, Chevron acquired Houston-based Noble Energy, and it is expected to make cuts and layoffs for redundant office positions. In total, the company announced plans to lay off 6,000 workers globally this year.