The headcount reduction was a response to "lower commodity pricing and anticipated lower exploration and production spending in 2015".

Of the impairment charges, $296 million was associated with its planned layoff spree, $806 million was related to the restructuring of Schlumberger's WesternGeco marine seismic fleet, $472 million came from estimated Venezuela currency devaluation losses and $199 million was a write-off of the SPM development project value in the Eagle Ford shale region.

"In this uncertain environment, we continue to focus on what we can control," Schlumberger CEO Paal Kibsgaard said.

"We have already taken a number of actions to restructure and resize our organisation that has led us to record a number of charges in the fourth quarter."

Kibsgaard also believed the company was well-placed to perform as a "transformation program" continues.

"The delivery of new technology that improves the performance of our customers' reservoirs; the increases in efficiency and reliability that reduce overall finding, development and production costs; and the opportunities for growth from more integration are all significant drivers of our own and our customers' performance," he said.

The job cuts equate to 7.1% of Schlumberger's workforce.

The French giant's December quarter earnings were down 82% year-on-year to $302 million, even though its revenues were up 6.2% to $12.6 billion.