Occidental Petroleum flies to Midland the week of CEO succession

Occidental Petroleum flew from Cavern City Air Terminal to Midland International Air and Space Port on May 12, a 26-minute hop in the company’s Embraer ERJ-175. The short flight from Carlsbad, New Mexico, to the heart of the Permian Basin comes at a pivotal moment for the Houston-based oil giant.

The same week, Occidental Petroleum is navigating a leadership transition: Vicki Hollub will retire as president and CEO effective June 1, with COO Richard Jackson succeeding her, per a May 1 company announcement [globenewswire.com](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/01/3285910/0/en/Occidental-Announces-CEO-Succession.html). Jackson, who joined Occidental Petroleum in 2003 and previously served as president of U.S. onshore oil and gas, takes over as the company reported strong first-quarter results on May 5, beating guidance in oil and gas and midstream segments [oxy.com](https://www.oxy.com/news/news-releases/occidental-announces-1st-quarter-2026-results/).

Occidental Petroleum’s ERJ-175 has been a regular visitor to Midland this month, with flights on May 7, 11, and 12 from Houston. The Permian Basin remains the company’s operational centerpiece, and the trip likely involved site visits or meetings tied to the transition. Jackson, who previously ran Permian Delaware Basin operations, will need little introduction to the region.