Berry Petroleum Company Form 8-K filed 05-03-06

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 3, 2006 (May 3, 2006)

BERRY PETROLEUM COMPANY

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


DELAWARE (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)		1-9735 (Commission File Number)		77-0079387 (IRS Employer Identification Number)


5201 TRUXTUN AVE., STE. 300, BAKERSFIELD, CA (Address of Principal Executive Offices)		93309 (Zip Code)

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))

Item 7.01 Regulation FD

On May 3, 2006, Berry Petroleum Company distributed a news release that updated the appraisal drilling at the Coyote Flats prospect in Utah.

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

99.1 - News Release by Berry Petroleum Company dated May 3, 2006, titled "Berry Petroleum Provides Update On Coyote Flats Appraisal" announcing the Registrant's recent results of drilling at the Coyote Flats prospect in Utah.

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.


	BERRY PETROLEUM COMPANY
	By:	/s/ Kenneth A. Olson
		Kenneth A. Olson
		Corporate Secretary

	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
	Contacts: Robert F. Heinemann, President and CEO - - Ralph J. Goehring, Executive Vice President and CFO

BERRY PETROLEUM PROVIDES UPDATE ON COYOTE FLATS APPRAISAL

Bakersfield, CA - May 3, 2006 - Berry Petroleum Company (NYSE:BRY) has determined that two appraisal wells drilled on the Coyote Flats prospect (Utah) in late 2005 will be commercial based on recent testing and evaluation of the wells. These two wells located on the eastern portion of the acreage were completed in the Ferron sandstone and have recently tested at flow rates of over 900 thousand cubic feet of gas per day (Mcf/D). These rates and well logs are similar to the 2003 discovery well, the Scofield Thorpe 22-41, which tested at a peak rate of 1.1 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMcf/D). The Company drilled two wells in the first quarter of 2006 which it determined were dry holes; the Scofield Christiansen 8-23 well that tested the acreage west of the Scofield reservoir and the Scofield Thorpe 26-43 well that was the first test of the Emery coals. The Company estimates this charge at approximately $5 million pre-tax, which will be incurred in the first quarter of 2006.

Robert Heinemann, president and chief executive officer stated, “We are encouraged that the eastern portion of the acreage continues to exhibit the same rock characteristics of the discovery well that was of original interest to us in this prospect. We are planning the construction of a 13 mile gas pipeline to transport the gas to a sales point and anticipate sales will begin in the third quarter. To better delineate the areal extent of the Ferron and to improve our drilling success rate, we are designing a 15.5 square mile 3D seismic survey of the most promising acreage. We have now completed five of our nine-well drilling commitment under our drill-to-earn agreement.”

Berry Petroleum Company is a publicly traded independent oil and gas production and exploitation company with its headquarters in Bakersfield, California.

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 “estimates,” “planning,” “anticipate,” “will,” and forms of those words indicate forward-looking statements. Important factors that could affect actual results are discussed in Berry’s 2005 Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in PART 1, Item 1A. Risk Factors, 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.”

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