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San Ramon-based Chevron Corporation will move 800 jobs in the Bay area to Texas, the oil giant told employees on Thursday. The shift accounts for approximately one quarter of its headquarters staff and will take place over the next two years.

Most of the relocated employees are in technical positions dealing with information and advanced energy technologies, which are tied to Chevron's worldwide oil exploration and production business. Much of this aspect of businss is based in Houston.

Chevron officials want to remain a California company and will continue to have their headquarters in San Ramon. About 3,500 people work at the office park on Bollinger Canyon Road and another 3,000 work elsewhere in the Bay Area, most at the company's refinery and technology center in Richmond.

The company employs about 9,000 full-time employees and contractors in Houston, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Chevron has a refinery in El Segundo (Los Angeles County) and oil field operations in Bakersfield, Chevron has roughly 10,000 workers throughout California.

Chevron moved its headquarters to San Ramon in 2002.

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