UNITED
STATES
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): September 18, 2006 (September 18,
2006)
BERRY
PETROLEUM COMPANY
(Exact
Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
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DELAWARE
(State
or Other Jurisdiction of
Incorporation
or Organization)
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1-9735
(Commission
File Number)
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77-0079387
(IRS
Employer
Identification
Number)
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5201
TRUXTUN AVE., STE. 300, BAKERSFIELD, CA
(Address
of Principal Executive Offices)
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93309
(Zip
Code)
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Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code: (661)
616-3900
Check
the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:
o
Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
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1
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Item 7.01 Regulation
FD
On September
18, 2006, Berry
Petroleum Company distributed a news release stating that Berry
Petroleum Company ranked 59 of 100 Fastest-Growing Companies by Fortune
Magazine.
The
information in this Current Report on Form 8-K and Exhibit 99.1 is being
furnished and shall not be deemed "filed" for the purposes of Section 18
of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the
liabilities of that Section.
Item
9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(c)
Exhibits
99.1
- News Release by Berry Petroleum Company dated September 18, 2006,
titled "Berry
Petroleum Ranked 59 of 100 Fastest-Growing Companies by Fortune
Magazine".
SIGNATURES
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 hereto
duly authorized.
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BERRY
PETROLEUM COMPANY
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By:
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/s/
Kenneth A. Olson
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Kenneth
A. Olson
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Corporate
Secretary
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Date: September
18, 2006
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News
Release
Berry
Petroleum Company
Phone
(661) 616-3900
5201
Truxtun Avenue, Suite
300 E-mail:
ir@bry.com
Bakersfield,
California
93309-0640 Internet:
www.bry.com
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Contacts:
Robert F. Heinemann, President and CEO - - Ralph J. Goehring, Executive
Vice President and CFO
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BERRY
PETROLEUM RANKED 59 OF 100 FASTEST-GROWING
COMPANIES
BY FORTUNE MAGAZINE
Bakersfield,
CA - September 18, 2006 -
Berry
Petroleum Company (NYSE:BRY), an independent oil and gas producer headquartered
in Bakersfield, California, was recognized for the second consecutive
year in
Fortune
magazine’s list of “100 Fastest-Growing Companies” in the September 18 issue of
the business magazine. In the special report on the 100 fastest-growing
companies as calculated by Fortune,
Berry
ranked 59, based on various three-year measures.
Robert
F.
Heinemann, president and chief executive officer, said, “Our second appearance
on this list in two years highlights the underlying growth strategy
that Berry
has been pursuing since 2003. Our move to 59 on the list from 97 last
year
indicates that our growth plan is working well. For this ranking by
Fortune,
Berry’s
three-year annual compounded results show earnings growth of 65%, revenue
growth
of 45%, and a total return of 57%. We expect to achieve our fourth
consecutive
year of double-digit oil and gas production growth in 2006.”
About
Berry Petroleum Company
Berry
Petroleum Company is a publicly traded independent oil and gas production
and
exploitation company with its headquarters in Bakersfield, California
and a
regional office in Denver, Colorado.
Safe
harbor under the "Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995"
Any
statements in this news release that are not historical facts are
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Words
such as
“expect,” and forms of those words and others indicate forward-looking
statements. Important factors which could affect actual results are
discussed in
PART
1, Item 1A. Risk Factors
of
Berry’s 2005 Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
under
the heading “Other Factors Affecting the Company's Business and Financial
Results” in the section titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations” as updated in PART
II, Item 1A. Risk Factors
of
Berry’s June 30, 2006 Form 10-Q filed on August 9, 2006.
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