As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 26, 2000

                                                  Registration No.
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                           -------------------------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           --------------------------

                        OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
               (EXACT NAME OF ISSUER AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)


                   DELAWARE                               95-4035997
        (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF               (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
         INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)               IDENTIFICATION NO.)


           10889 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD
           LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA                          90024
   (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)               (ZIP CODE)


                        OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
              1996 RESTRICTED STOCK PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS
                            (FULL TITLE OF THE PLAN)

                    DONALD P. DE BRIER, ESQ., GENERAL COUNSEL
                        OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
                            10889 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD
                             LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
                                 (310) 208-8800
 (NAME, ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


======================= ===================== ==================== ====================== =====================
                                                   Proposed              Proposed
                               Amount               Maximum               Maximum
 Title of Securities           to be            Offering Price           Aggregate             Amount of
   to be Registered          Registered          Per Share(1)        Offering Price(1)      Registration Fee
- ----------------------- --------------------- -------------------- ---------------------- ---------------------
                                                                              
  Common Stock, $.20
 par value (including
   Preferred Stock          100,000 (2)             $23.344             $2,334,400              $616.28
   Purchase Rights)
======================= ===================== ==================== ====================== =====================

(1)  Estimated pursuant to Rule 457 solely for the purpose of calculating the
     amount of the registration fee based on the average of the high and low
     price for the Common Stock on May 24, 2000.

(2)  Includes an indeterminate number of additional shares which may be
     necessary to adjust the number of shares reserved for issuance pursuant to
     the plan as the results of any future stock split, stock dividend or
     similar adjustment of the outstanding Common Stock of the Registrant.

PART II ------- INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE The following documents are hereby incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement: (a) The Annual Report on Form 10-K of Occidental Petroleum Corporation ("Occidental" or the "Registrant") for the year ended December 31, 1999; (b) (i) Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2000; (ii) Current Reports on Form 8-K, dated January 25, 2000 (filed January 26, 2000), March 1, 2000 (filed March 2, 2000), March 7, 2000 (filed March 15, 2000), April 19, 2000 (filed April 20, 2000) and dated March 7, 2000 (filed May 12, 2000); and (c) The description of the Common Stock contained in the Registration Statement on Form 8-B, dated June 26, 1986 (as amended by Form 8, dated December 22, 1986, Form 8, dated February 3, 1988, Form 8-B/A, dated July 12, 1993, Form 8-B/A, dated March 21, 1994, and Form 8-B/A, dated November 2, 1995 and including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such descriptions subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement). All documents filed by the Registrant or the Occidental Petroleum Corporation 1996 Restricted Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors (the "Plan") pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, after the date hereof prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that the securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters the securities covered hereby then remaining unsold, shall also be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of delivery of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein, or in any other subsequently filed document that also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement. ITEM 4. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES Not applicable. ITEM 5. INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL The validity of the Common Stock registered pursuant hereto has been passed upon by Linda S. Peterson, an Assistant General Counsel of the Registrant. Ms. Peterson beneficially owns, and has rights to acquire under employee stock options, an aggregate of less than 1% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of Occidental. ITEM 6. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a court to award, or a corporation's board of directors to grant, indemnity to directors and officers under certain 1

circumstances for liabilities incurred in connection with their activities in such capacities (including reimbursement for expenses incurred). Occidental's Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, provides for the elimination of personal liability of its directors to the full extent permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law and Occidental has entered into indemnification agreements with each director and certain officers providing for additional indemnification. Article VIII of Occidental's By-laws provides that Occidental shall indemnify directors and officers under certain circumstances for liabilities and expenses incurred by reason of their activities in such capacities. In addition, Occidental has insurance policies that provide liability coverage to directors and officers while acting in such capacities. ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED Not applicable. ITEM 8. EXHIBITS 3.(i) Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Occidental, dated November 12, 1999 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.(i) to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Occidental for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999). 3.(ii) By-laws of Occidental, as amended through April 30, 1999 (filed as Exhibit 3.(ii) to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Occidental, File No. 333-78031). 5.1 Opinion of Linda S. Peterson, Esq. 23.1 Consent of Linda S. Peterson, Esq. (Included in Exhibit 5.1). 23.2 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP. 24.1 Power of Attorney (Reference is hereby made to page 4). 99.1 Occidental Petroleum Corporation 1996 Restricted Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as amended April 28, 2000 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Occidental for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2000). ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: 1. To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in 2

the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement. (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement. 2. That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. 3. To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. 3

POWER OF ATTORNEY Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Donald P. de Brier, Robert E. Sawyer and Linda S. Peterson his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, with full powers of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all Amendments (including Post-Effective Amendments) to this Registration Statement and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, here ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting along, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Occidental Petroleum Corporation certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Los Angeles, State of California, on May 25, 2000. OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION By: RAY R. IRANI ----------------------------------------------------------- Ray R. Irani Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated. SIGNATURE TITLE DATE --------- ----- ---- RAY R. IRANI Chairman of the Board of May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- Directors and Chief Executive Ray R. Irani Officer STEPHEN I. CHAZEN Executive Vice President - May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- Corporate Development Stephen I. Chazen and Chief Financial Officer SAMUEL P. DOMINICK, JR. Vice President and Controller May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- (Chief Accounting Officer) Samuel P. Dominick, Jr. RONALD W. BURKLE Director May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- Ronald W. Burkle JOHN S. CHALSTY Director May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- John S. Chalsty

EDWARD P. DJEREJIAN Director May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- Edward P. Djerejian JOHN E. FEICK Director May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- John E. Feick J. ROGER HIRL Director May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- J. Roger Hirl DALE R. LAURANCE Director May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- Dale R. Laurance IRVIN W. MALONEY Director May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- Irvin W. Maloney RUDOLFO SEGOVIA Director May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- Rudolfo Segovia AZIZ SYRIANI Director May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- Aziz Syriani ROSEMARY TOMICH Director May 26, 2000 - --------------------------- Rosemary Tomich

INDEX TO EXHIBITS EXHIBIT NUMBER DESCRIPTION - ------- ----------- 3.(i) Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Occidental, dated November 12, 1999 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.(i) to the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Occidental for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999). 3.(ii) By-laws of Occidental, as amended through April 30, 1999 (filed as Exhibit 3.(ii) to the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of Occidental, File No. 333-78031). 5.1 Opinion of Linda S. Peterson, Esq. 23.1 Consent of Linda S. Peterson, Esq. (Included in Exhibit 5.1). 23.2 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP. 24.1 Power of Attorney (Reference is hereby made to page 4). 99.1 Occidental Petroleum Corporation 1996 Restricted Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as amended April 28, 2000 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Occidental for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2000).


                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                                                  10889 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD
(LOGO) OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION           LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA  90024
                                                  TELEPHONE (310) 208-8800
                                                  FACSIMILE (310) 443-6690

    LINDA S. PETERSON
ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL

Direct Telephone (310) 443-6189
Direct Facsimile (310) 443-6737
E-Mail           linda_peterson@oxy.com



                                  May 26, 2000




Occidental Petroleum Corporation
10889 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90024

         Re:      Occidental Petroleum Corporation
                  Registration Statement on Form S-8
                  Occidental Petroleum Corporation
                  1996 Restricted Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am an Assistant General Counsel of Occidental Petroleum Corporation, a
Delaware corporation ("Occidental"), and have acted as counsel to Occidental in
connection with the preparation of the above-referenced Registration Statement
on Form S-8, submitted by Occidental to the Securities and Exchange Commission
("Commission") on May __, 2000 (the "Registration Statement"). The Registration
Statement relates to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "1933 Act"), of 100,000 shares (the "Shares") of Common Stock, par
value $.20 per share, of Occidental. The Shares are to be issued in accordance
with the Occidental Petroleum Corporation 1996 Restricted Stock Plan for
Non-Employee Directors (the "Plan") with respect to awards of restricted stock
under the Plan.

     In connection with this opinion, I have examined and am familiar with
originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of
such records of Occidental and all such agreements, certificates of public
officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of Occidental and
others and such other documents, certificates and records as I have deemed
necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth herein,
including, without limitation, (i) the Registration Statement (together with the
form of prospectus forming a part thereof), (ii) the Restated Certificate of
Incorporation and By-laws of Occidental, as amended to date, (iii) copies of
certain resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of Occidental, relating to
the adoption of the Plan, the filing of the Registration Statement and any
amendments or supplements thereto, and the issuance of the Shares and related
matters, (iv) copies of the action adopted at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
approving the amendment of the Plan to, among other things, measure the number
of shares available for issuance (v) the Plan. At a meeting of the Board of
Directors of Occidental relating to the adoption of the Rights Agreement, the
Board of Directors was advised on a number of questions of Delaware law,
including that there is no direct judicial precedent in Delaware regarding an
identical form of rights agreement. In my examination, I have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the
authenticity of all

Occidental Petroleum Corporation May 26, 2000 Page 2 documents submitted to me as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as certified, conformed or photostatic copies and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein which I have not independently established or verified, I have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of Occidental and others. I am a member of the California and New York Bars and for purposes of this opinion do not hold myself out as an expert on, nor do I express any opinion as to, the laws of any jurisdiction other than the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. Based upon and subject to the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the Plan, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. This opinion is delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the 1933 Act and is furnished to you solely for your benefit in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement and is not to be used, circulated, quoted or otherwise referred to for any other purpose without my prior written consent. I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as Exhibit 5 to the Registration Statement. I also consent to the reference to me under the heading "Legal Matters" in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, I do not thereby admit that I am included in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the 1933 Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder. Very truly yours, LINDA S. PETERSON Linda S. Peterson


                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

     As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation
by reference in this registration statement of our reports dated February 3,
2000 (except with respect to the matter discussed in Note 18, as to which the
date is March 8, 2000), included in or incorporated by reference in Occidental
Petroleum Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 1999 and to all references to our Firm included in this registration
statement.

                                               /s/ ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP

                                               ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP



Los Angeles, California
May 24, 2000