Chevron, in a blow to California, says it is relocating to Houston

Chevron, the oil giant that was founded in California some 145 years ago, said Friday that it is relocating its headquarters from the Bay Area to Houston.

The announcement, which also included news of a reshuffling of senior management, was not a complete surprise given that the second largest U.S. oil company, based in San Ramon, has been battling with California over its aggressive climate change policies.

Chevron, in its statement, said the move would allow the company to “co-locate with other senior leaders and enable better collaboration and engagement with executives, employees, and business partners.” Chevron already has about 7,000 employees in the Houston area.