Origin Energy will cut 650 jobs in Queensland, with most to come from the company's head office in Brisbane.

The cuts, announced to staff via email today, would mainly affect employees in middle and people manager roles.

An Origin spokesman said the company would maintain a strong presence in the regions and focus on jobs at operational plant sites.

Origin currently employs about 1,600 people in the gas business across Queensland.

Origin chief executive officer Frank Calabria said the loss of jobs was "never a decision taken lightly".

"We are putting considerable effort into completing this process as quickly as we can so we can provide certainty to our people," he said.

"Extensive planning and careful consideration has been given to making sure we can implement these changes in a way that maintains business performance and Origin's very high operating standards around the safety of our people, communities and the environment.

"We firmly believe these changes are both necessary and sustainable, in the best interests of Origin and our project partners, and put us in a strong position to achieve our objective of becoming a globally competitive, low-cost gas producer."