Occidental Petroleum's shuttle touches down in Houston after a day in the Permian

Occidental Petroleum flew from Midland to Houston on the evening of May 27, 2026, a 71-minute hop that shuttled employees from the Permian Basin to company headquarters. The Embraer ERJ-175, tail number N170XY, is a dedicated worker ferry, moving Occidental staff between the corporate nerve center and the oil fields that drive the company's bottom line.

The flight lands the same week Occidental continues to ramp up production in the Permian, where it holds roughly 2.8 million net acres. The basin accounted for nearly 40% of the company's output in the most recent quarter, per its May investor update. For CEO Vicki Hollub, keeping Houston and Midland connected is a matter of operational necessity, not convenience.

The trip from KMAF to KIAH is part of a daily rhythm for Occidental's aviation fleet. Recent flight logs show the ERJ-175 making multiple circuits between Houston and the Permian, often returning late in the day. Meanwhile, the company's Gulfstream G650ER shuttles executives to Washington and New York for board meetings and investor events, per flight data. But the real workhorse remains this humble shuttle, ferrying the hands that keep the oil flowing.