Nearly 200 more Houston-based employees of El Paso Corp. were laid off on Friday as part of company’s continuing cost-cutting plan. El Paso now has 8,900 employees, down from its 2002 year-end figure of 11,000, and more layoffs are expected into 2004.

According to the company, the cutbacks represented about 2% of its total workforce, and were from all areas of its Houston operations. The fired employees are eligible for severance and outplacement services, according to El Paso. In Houston, where El Paso is headquartered, there are about 3,800 employees.

By the end of 2004, the energy company will have cut its workforce to about 7,000, according to a spokesman. While most of the cuts will come from asset sales, additional layoffs throughout the company also are expected.

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