CORRECTED (OFFICIAL)-CNOOC's Nexen to cut around 400 workers in N. America and UK

(Company corrects number of North American cuts to 340 from 350, UK cuts to 60 from 50 in first paragraph)

By Nia Williams

CALGARY, Alberta, March 17 (Reuters) - Nexen Energy, a wholly owned subsidiary of China's CNOOC Ltd (HKSE: 0883.HK - news) , said on Tuesday it will cut approximately 340 employees in North America and about 60 workers at its UK operations in response to low oil prices.

The cuts amount to about 12.5 percent of Nexen (KSE: 005720.KS - news) 's global workforce of 3,200.

The Calgary-based company, bought by state-controlled CNOOC (HKSE: 0883-OL.HK - news) in 2013 for $15.1 billion, operates the Long Lake project in Canada's oil sands and is a leaseholder in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

Nexen is one of the largest players in the North Sea and produced its first oil from the Golden Eagle (HKSE: 3308.HK - news) project in late 2014.

Last month CNOOC slashed 2015 capital spending by 26 percent to 35 percent to 70 billion to 80 billion yuan ($11.19 billion-$12.79 billion), but still plans to increase production by up to 15 percent.

Benchmark global oil prices have plunged more than 50 percent since last June, with international Brent last trading just under $53 a barrel.

(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)