Chesapeake Energy this week started laying off employees following the divestment of its assets in the Eagle Ford play, Reuters reported, citing the company. Also according to the company, the layoffs had nothing to do with its $7.4-billion merger with Southwestern Energy. Chesapeake Energy, which went through bankruptcy in 2020 when oil and gas prices crashed, has been solidifying in the past year its strategic focus on its gas assets in the Marcellus shale in Appalachia and in the Haynesville shale play in Louisiana while reducing its Eagle…