Irving-based ExxonMobil has announced plans to move XTO Energy's downtown Fort Worth headquarters to the Houston area.
About 1,600 jobs will go with the move.
Employees at were informed of the plans on Friday.
ExxonMobil, which bought the oil and gas producer in 2010, also plans to sell six or seven of XTO's buildings in downtown Fort Worth.
The move to The Woodlands will take a few years, the company says, but most of XTO will be gone by the year 2020.
In a statement, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce said:
"XTO Energy, a home-grown legacy company, has been an outstanding industry leader, a generous community supporter and excellent steward of historic buildings in downtown Fort Worth for decades. It's hard to hear the announcement of their move.
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"In time, we expect to fill downtown office space, but it will be difficult to replace the civic partnership we have enjoyed with XTO and its employees.
"Fortunately, Fort Worth's diversified economy is prepared to absorb industry changes like this. And XTO's painstakingly refurbished buildings, plus a new parking garage, leave us well-positioned to market the space to expanding and relocating companies."
