The American Petroleum Institute will close 15 state offices as part of a restructuring of the organization to focus on a regional approach to advocacy, the Washington Examiner reported Tuesday.

API CEO Mike Sommers announced the closures in an email to staff obtained by the newspaper. The closures will result in 25 layoffs in state offices, with the group planning to hire a smaller number of employees to staff the eight new regional offices. API began considering the changes more than a year ago.

"The regional approach will extend API's advocacy capabilities in a changing landscape using data targeting, campaign communications, and coalition building, and build on our partnerships with state oil and natural gas associations in key production states," Sommers said in the email.

State offices will close in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, the Examiner reported. The new regional offices will be based in Denver; Springfield, Ill.; St. Paul, Minn.; Columbus, Ohio; Harrisburg, Pa.; a,; Boston; Raleigh, N.C.; and Tallahassee, Fla.

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