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): June 8, 2006 (June 7, 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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Item 1.01 Entry
Into A Material Definitive Agreement
On
June
8, 2006, Berry Petroleum Company issued a news release announcing that
Berry
Petroleum Company (NYSE:BRY) had entered into a definitive agreement with
EnCana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. (NYSE:ECA) to jointly develop a portion of
EnCana’s North
Parachute Ranch property
in the
Piceance Basin of western Colorado. Berry will fund the drilling of 90 natural
gas wells on EnCana’s valley lands and will acquire 4,300 gross acres
elsewhere in the North Parachute Ranch property with a working interest of
95%
and a net revenue interest of 79%.
The
information contained in the press release is incorporated herein by reference
and furnished as Exhibit 99.1.
Item 9.01 Financial
Statements and Exhibits
(c)
Exhibits
99.1
News
Release by Berry Petroleum Company dated June 8, 2006 titled "Berry
Petroleum Company Expands Piceance Basin Asset Base."
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:
June 8, 2006
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