Hercules said in a "warn notice" filed with the Texas Workforce Commission, a labour regulator, that the layoff would commence on 31 December of this year.
"Hercules Offshore will be conducting mass layoffs of employees who work offshore in its Gulf of Mexico operations due to anticipated closure or 'cold-stacking' of four company rigs in the Gulf," the letter said.
Hercules reported in its third-quarter earnings release that it would be shutting down jack-ups Hercules 202, 204, 21 and 213 due to a softening domestic market and other challenges internationally.
