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                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                      Washington, D.C.  20549
                              
                             FORM 8-K
                              
                          CURRENT REPORT
                              
              PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                  SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
                              
DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED) OCTOBER 17, 1996
                              
                 OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
      (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
                              
                              
                              
                              
   DELAWARE                      1-9210          95-4035997
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission      (I.R.S. Employer
    of incorporation)          File Number)     Identification No.)



       10889 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90024
         (Address of principal executive offices)(ZIP code)

         Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                          (310) 208-8800
                              
                              
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Item 5.   Other Events
- -------   ------------

      Occidental    Petroleum    Corporation   reported   on 
October 17,  1996,  net  income  of  $194  million ($.53 per 
share)  for  the  third  quarter  of 1996, compared with net 
income  of  $139  million  ($.36 per share)  for  the  third 
quarter  of  1995.  Included in  the third quarter 1996 is a 
$100  million benefit from a reduction in federal income tax 
liabilities  no  longer required  and  a $105 million charge 
for the write-down  in Occidental's investment in an oil and 
gas  project in  Russia.  Sales  were  $2.8  billion for the 
third  quarter  of  1996, compared with $2.6 billion for the 
third quarter of 1995.

      Oil  and gas divisional earnings before special  items
were  $125  million for the third quarter of 1996,  compared
with  earnings of $46 million for the third quarter of 1995.
Earnings  for  the  third quarter of 1996 were  $20  million
after  including the $105 million write-down in Occidental's
investment  in  an  oil  and gas  project  in  Russia.   The
increase  in  1996 earnings resulted primarily  from  higher
prices  for  worldwide crude oil and domestic  natural  gas,
partially offset by higher exploration expense.

      Natural gas transmission divisional earnings  for  the
third  quarter of 1996 were $49 million, compared  with  $54
million for the third quarter of 1995.  The decline in  1996
earnings  resulted  primarily from lower transport  margins,
partially   offset   by   cost  savings   related   to   the
reorganization announced late in 1995.

      Chemical divisional earnings before special items  for
the  third quarter of 1996 were $190 million, compared  with
earnings of $252 million for the third quarter of 1995.  The
1996   third  quarter  results  were  $228  million,   after
including  a  benefit of $40 million related to a  favorable
litigation  settlement and the related  state  tax  effects.
The   decline  in  1996  earnings  resulted  primarily  from
decreased  profit margins in petrochemicals, PVC resins  and
caustic  soda, partially offset by improvements  in  profits
from specialty chemicals.

      Interest expense in the third quarter of 1996 was $107
million, compared with $133 million for the third quarter of
1995.    The   decline  in  interest  expense  is  primarily
attributable  to  lower  average interest  rates  and  lower
average debt levels resulting primarily from redemptions  of
high-coupon debt.

      For  the  first nine months of 1996, Occidental's  net
income  totaled  $509 million or $1.37 per  share,  compared
with  net income of $504 million or $1.37 per share for  the
first  nine  months of 1995.  The 1996 results  included  an
after-tax extraordinary loss of $30 million ($.09 per share)
for  the  early retirement of high-coupon debt.  Sales  were
$7.8  billion  for the first nine months of  1996,  compared
with $8.0 billion for the same period in 1995.

                            1
   


SUMMARY OF DIVISIONAL NET SALES AND EARNINGS
(Millions, except per-share amounts)

                                          Third Quarter          Nine Months
                                       ----------------     ----------------
Periods Ended September 30                1996     1995        1996     1995
==================================     =======  =======     =======  =======

DIVISIONAL NET SALES
   Oil and gas                         $ 1,148  $   779     $ 2,780  $ 2,240
   Natural gas transmission                554      454       1,777    1,460
   Chemical                              1,084    1,325       3,210    4,253
   Other                                     -       (1)         (2)      (3)
                                       _______  _______     _______  _______

                                       $ 2,786  $ 2,557     $ 7,765  $ 7,950
==================================     =======  =======     =======  =======

DIVISIONAL EARNINGS
   Oil and gas                         $    20  $    46     $   325  $    76
   Natural gas transmission                 49       54         221      191
   Chemical                                228      252         558      913
                                       _______  _______     _______  _______
                                           297      352       1,104    1,180
UNALLOCATED CORPORATE ITEMS
   Interest expense, net                  (107)    (133)       (349)    (410)
   Income taxes (a)                          7      (83)       (204)    (281)
   Other                                    (3)       3         (12)      15
                                       _______  _______     _______  _______
INCOME BEFORE EXTRAORDINARY
   GAIN(LOSS), NET                         194      139         539      504
Extraordinary gain(loss), net                -        -         (30)       -
                                       _______  _______     _______  _______

NET INCOME                                 194      139         509      504

Preferred dividends                        (23)     (24)        (69)     (70)
                                       _______  _______     _______  _______

EARNINGS(LOSS) APPLICABLE TO
   COMMON STOCK                        $   171  $   115     $   440  $   434
                                       =======  =======     =======  =======

PRIMARY EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
   Income before extraordinary
     gain(loss), net                   $   .53  $   .36     $  1.46  $  1.37
   Extraordinary gain(loss), net             -        -        (.09)       -
                                       _______  _______     _______  _______
PRIMARY EARNINGS PER SHARE             $   .53  $   .36     $  1.37  $  1.37
                                       =======  =======     =======  ======= 

FULLY DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE
   Income before extraordinary
     gain(loss), net                   $   .50  $   .36     $  1.41  $  1.33
   Extraordinary gain(loss), net             -        -        (.08)       -
                                       _______  _______     _______  _______
FULLY DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE       $   .50  $   .36     $  1.33  $  1.33
                                       =======  =======     =======  =======
AVERAGE COMMON SHARES OUTSTANDING        325.3    318.6       322.4    318.0
==================================     =======  =======     =======  =======

(a) 1996 includes a $100 million credit for reduction in federal income tax
    liabilities  no  longer required.  All periods include an adjustment to
    corporate  taxes,  as  quarterly  consolidated  taxes  are  computed in 
    accordance with  Interpretation No. 18 of APB Opinion No. 28  and hence 
    are  based  on  projections of  total-year income and taxes.  The third 
    quarter  periods  include an  offset for charges and credits in lieu of 
    U.S.  federal  income  taxes  allocated  to  the divisions.  Divisional 
    earnings  in  the  third  quarter  of  1996 have benefited from credits 
    allocated  by  $3 million,  $12  million and $7 million at oil and gas, 
    natural  gas  transmission  and   chemical,  respectively.   Divisional 
    earnings  in  the  third  quarter  of  1995 have benefited from credits 
    allocated  by  $4 million,  $12 million  and $6 million at oil and gas, 
    natural gas transmission and chemical, respectively.

                                       2




SUMMARY OF OPERATING STATISTICS

                                              Third Quarter     Nine Months
                                             --------------  --------------
Periods Ended September 30                     1996    1995    1996    1995
=====================================        ======  ======  ======  ======

NET OIL, GAS AND LIQUIDS
  PRODUCTION PER DAY

United States
   Crude oil and condensate
     (thousands of barrels)                      57      62      56      65
   Natural gas liquids
     (thousands of barrels)                      14      11      12      11
   Natural gas
     (millions of cubic feet)                   588     588     605     621

Other Western Hemisphere
   Crude oil and condensate
     (thousands of barrels)                     130     129     129     127

Eastern Hemisphere
   Crude oil and condensate
     (thousands of barrels)                      99      95     102      89
   Natural gas
     (millions of cubic feet)                    98      96     116     107

NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION DELIVERIES

Sales (billions of cubic feet)                  152     137     495     445
Transportation
  (billions of cubic feet)                      292     344   1,137   1,112



CAPITAL EXPENDITURES (millions)              $  272  $  226  $  780  $  606
                                             ======  ======  ======  ====== 

DEPRECIATION, DEPLETION AND
  AMORTIZATION OF ASSETS (millions)          $  236  $  235  $  687  $  708
=====================================        ======  ======  ======  ======

                                       3




                                 SIGNATURE
                              
                              
Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities Exchange Act  of 1934, the 
Registrant  has  duly  caused  this  report  to  be signed on its behalf by the 
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                      OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
                                                (Registrant)
                                                           
                                                            
                                                            
                                                            
DATE:  October 18, 1996      S. P. Dominick, Jr.
                             --------------------------------------------------
                             S. P. Dominick, Jr., Vice President and Controller
                             (Chief Accounting and Duly Authorized Officer)


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