Occidental Petroleum returns to Houston as CEO transition looms

Occidental Petroleum flew from Midland International Air and Space Port to Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport on May 19, 2026, aboard its Embraer ERJ-175 (N170XY). The 1-hour-10-minute trip arrived at 22:58 UTC, a routine shuttle between the Permian Basin and corporate headquarters.

The same week, Occidental is navigating a leadership change: Vicki Hollub will retire as President and CEO effective June 1, with COO Richard Jackson succeeding her, as announced on May 1 [globenewswire.com]. The flight likely carried staff or executives finalizing transition details or reviewing first-quarter results, which were reported May 5 and showed strong operational performance and debt reduction [oxy.com].

The ERJ-175 frequently shuttles between Houston and Midland, as seen in recent flights, making this a typical movement. But with the succession less than two weeks away, every trip between field and headquarters carries the weight of handing off a company that Berkshire Hathaway still backs as its largest energy bet.