occidental petroleum corporation (nyse:oxy) is an international oil and gas exploration and production company — one of the largest in the u.s., based on market capitalization — and our oxychem subsidiary is a major north american chemical manufacturer. oxy is an industry leader in applying advanced technology to boost production and access hard-to-recover reserves. with more than 40,000 employees and contractors worldwide, we are committed to being the employer, partner and neighbor of choice. oil and natural gas operations are the core of oxy’s business. our exploration and production activities are concentrated in three geographic regions: the united states, middle east region and latin america. in each of these regions, we focus on long-lived, “legacy” oil and gas assets with long-term production growth potential. oxy is well-positioned for success in today’s dynamic and complex business environment. occidental chemical corporation (oxychem) is a leading north american manufa