Occidental Petroleum flies to Midland the week of a CEO transition and earnings beat

Occidental Petroleum flew from Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport to Midland International Air and Space Port on May 13, a 63-minute hop aboard its Embraer ERJ-175 (tail N170XY). The flight arrived at 1:05 p.m. local time, touching down in the heart of the Permian Basin, the company's core operating region.

The trip comes the same week the company reported first-quarter earnings that beat guidance in key segments, per [Yahoo Finance](https://finance.yahoo.com/sectors/energy/articles/occidental-petroleum-oxy-beats-guidance-235549855.html), and just days after Occidental Petroleum announced that longtime CEO Vicki Hollub will retire effective June 1, with COO Richard Jackson succeeding her, as covered by [GlobeNewswire](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/05/01/3285910/0/en/Occidental-Announces-CEO-Succession.html). The leadership transition and strong operational results make the Permian — where Occidental Petroleum holds extensive acreage — a natural destination for executive oversight and field visits.

The flight is part of a pattern: the ERJ-175 has shuttled between Houston and the Midland-Odessa area repeatedly in recent days, with at least three round trips logged since May 11. The aircraft serves as an employee shuttle for the company, moving personnel between headquarters and the field as Occidental Petroleum navigates a changing of the guard and a busy earnings season.