Occidental Petroleum shuttles workers between Permian Basin hubs as drilling activity continues

Occidental Petroleum flew from Lea County-Jal Airport to Midland International Air and Space Port on June 3, a 23-minute hop that barely cleared 16,800 feet. The company's Embraer ERJ-175, a workhorse in its three-aircraft fleet, made the short trip across the New Mexico–Texas border in the heart of the Permian Basin.

The flight is routine for Occidental, which operates extensive horizontal drilling and completion crews in the region. The Permian accounts for the bulk of the company's production, and the ERJ-175 functions as an employee shuttle, moving workers between field bases and the Houston headquarters. With WTI crude hovering near $75 per barrel and Occidental reporting strong free cash flow in its latest earnings, the company continues to invest in Permian infrastructure.

Recent flight logs show the ERJ-175 making multiple trips between Houston-area airports and Permian Basin destinations like Midland and Jal, a pattern that mirrors the company's operational rhythm. Occidental Petroleum, in which Berkshire Hathaway holds roughly 28%, relies on this daily airlift to keep its upstream workforce moving—one short leg at a time.