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<P align=right><B><FONT face=serif size=2>As filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on July 29, 2005</FONT></B></P>
<P align=right><FONT face=serif size=2>Registration No. 333-</FONT></P>
<P align=center style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><B><FONT face=serif size=5>UNITED STATES</FONT></B></P>
<P align=center style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><B><FONT face=serif size=5>SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION</FONT></B></P>
<P align=center style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap>
	<p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><FONT face=serif>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Washington, D.C.
20549</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<p align="center"></P>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap>
	<p align="center"><B><FONT face=serif size=5>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FORM
S-8</FONT></B><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=center><B><FONT face=serif>REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT OF 1933</FONT></B></P>
<P align=center><B><FONT face=serif size=5>BERRY PETROLEUM
COMPANY</FONT></B></P>
<P align=center><FONT face=serif>(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)</FONT></P>
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 border=0 width="522">

  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="67%"><B><FONT
      face=serif>Delaware</FONT></B>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=center width="32%"><B><FONT
      face=serif>&nbsp; 77-0079387</FONT></B>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="67%"><FONT face=serif>(State or other
      jurisdiction</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=center width="32%"><FONT face=serif>(I.R.S.
      Employer</FONT>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="67%"><FONT face=serif>of incorporation or
      organization)</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=center width="32%"><FONT face=serif>Identification
      No.)</FONT>&nbsp; </TD></TR></TABLE><BR>
<P align=center><B><FONT face=serif>5201 Truxtun Avenue, Suite 300 Bakersfield,
California 93309</FONT></B></P>
<P align=center><FONT face=serif>(Address of principal executive offices,
including zip code)</FONT></P>
<P align=center style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><B><FONT face=serif size=4>Berry Petroleum Company 2005 Equity
Incentive Plan</FONT></B></P>
<P align=center style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">
<TABLE width="427">

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap>
	<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><FONT face=serif>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Full Title of the
  Plan)</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 border=0>

  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="54%"><FONT face=serif>Ralph J.
      Goehring</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="8%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="37%"><FONT face=serif>Copies
      to:</FONT>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="54%"><FONT face=serif>Chief Financial
      Officer</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="8%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="37%"><FONT face=serif>Laura K. McAvoy,
      Esq.</FONT>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="54%"><FONT face=serif>5201 Truxtun Avenue,
      Suite 300</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="8%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="37%"><FONT face=serif>Musick Peeler &amp;
      Garrett, LLP</FONT>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="54%"><FONT face=serif>Bakersfield,
      California 93309</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="8%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="37%"><FONT face=serif>200 N. Westlake
      Blvd., Suite 204</FONT>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="54%"><FONT face=serif>(661)
      616-3900</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="8%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="37%"><FONT face=serif>Westlake Village,
      California 91362</FONT>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="54%"><FONT face=serif>(Name, Address, and
      Telephone number,</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="8%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="37%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="54%"><FONT face=serif>including area code,
      of agent for service)</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="8%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="37%">&nbsp; </TD></TR></TABLE><BR>
<P align=center>
<p align="center">&nbsp;</p>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><a name="page_9">1</a><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<HR align=center width="100%" noShade SIZE=2>
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<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 border=0>

  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="60%" colSpan=5><B><FONT face=serif
      size=2>CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE</FONT></B>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%"><FONT face=serif
      size=2>Proposed</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%"><FONT face=serif
      size=2>Proposed</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%"><FONT face=serif
      size=2>Maximum</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%"><FONT face=serif
      size=2>Maximum</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Title of
      Securities</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Amount to
      be</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Offering Price
      per</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%"><FONT face=serif
      size=2>Aggregate</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Amount
      of</FONT>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>to be
      Registered</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Registered (1)
      (2)</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Share
      (3)</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Offering Price
      (4)</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Registration
      Fee</FONT>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Class A
      Common</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>1,450,000
      shares</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="19%"><FONT face=serif
      size=2>$54.16</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="19%"><FONT face=serif
      size=2>$78,532,000</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<FONT
      face=serif size=2>$9,243.22</FONT>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Stock, $.01
      par</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif
      size=2>value</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Rights to
      Purchase</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>1,450,000
      shares</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Shares of Class
      A</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Common
      Stock</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="18%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="16%">&nbsp; </TD></TR></TABLE>
<p><BR>
</p>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0>

  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=top noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>(1)</FONT>&nbsp; &nbsp;
      &nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif size=2>This Registration Statement also
      covers such additional number of shares, presently indeterminable, as may
      become issuable in the event of stock dividends, stock splits,
      recapitalizations or other changes in the Class A Common Stock.</FONT>
  </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=top noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>(2)</FONT>&nbsp; &nbsp;
      &nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Includes Rights to purchase
      shares of Class A Common Stock upon the occurrence of certain events
      pursuant to the Berry Petroleum Company Rights Agreement dated December 8,
      1999 ("Rights Agreement").</FONT> </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=top noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>(3)</FONT>&nbsp; &nbsp;
      &nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Estimated solely for purposes of
      calculating the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) and
      Rule 457 (c ) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
      Act"). The Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share has been computed on
      the basis of the price of securities of the same class using the average
      of the high and low prices of the Common Stock as reported by the New York
      Stock Exchange of $54.16 per share on July 22, 2005.</FONT> </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=top noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>(4)</FONT>&nbsp; &nbsp;
      &nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif size=2>Amount to be Registered
      multiplied by the Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share.</FONT> </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif>2</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></A>
<HR align=center width="100%" noShade SIZE=2>
<!--$$/page=--><A name=page_3></A>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>PART
I</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=center><U><FONT face=serif size=2>INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION
10(a) PROSPECTUS</FONT></U></P>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>The
document(s) containing the information specified by Part I of Form S-8 will be
sent or given to participants in the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") as
specified by Securities Act Rule 428(b)(1).</FONT></P>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>PART
II</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=center><U><FONT face=serif size=2>INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT</FONT></U></P>
<P align=left>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><U><FONT face=serif size=2>Item 3</FONT></U><FONT face=serif
      size=2>. </FONT><U><FONT face=serif size=2>Incorporation of Documents by
      Reference</FONT></U><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>Berry
Petroleum Company (the "Company") hereby incorporates by reference in this
Registration Statement the following documents: </FONT></P>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 border=0>

  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=top noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>(a)</FONT>&nbsp; &nbsp;
      &nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif size=2>The Company's latest annual
      report on Form 10-K filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the
      Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
      containing audited financial statements for the Company's latest fiscal
      year ended December 31, 2004, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
      Commission ("Commission") on March 30, 2005;</FONT> </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=top noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>(b)</FONT>&nbsp; &nbsp;
      &nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif size=2>The Company's Quarterly Report on
      Form 10-Q for its fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2005, as filed with the
      Commission on May 3, 2005;</FONT> </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=top noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>(c)</FONT>&nbsp; &nbsp;
      &nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif size=2>The Company's Current Reports on
      Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on April 14, 2005 (Form 8-K/A), May 3,
      2005, June 7, 2005, June 9, 2005, June 28, 2005, June 29, 2005 and July 1,
      2005;</FONT> </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=top noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>(d)</FONT>&nbsp; &nbsp;
      &nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif size=2>The Company's definitive proxy
      statement filed with the Commission on Form DEF 14A on April 11, 2005;
      and</FONT> </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD vAlign=top noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>(e)</FONT>&nbsp; &nbsp;
      &nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="100%"><FONT face=serif size=2>The description of the Company's
      Common Stock contained in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A
      filed under the Exchange Act on December 7, 1999, including any amendment
      or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.</FONT>
</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=2>&nbsp;</TD></TR></TABLE>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>All
documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all securities
offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.
</FONT></P>
<P align=left>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><U><FONT face=serif size=2>Item 4. Description of
      Securities</FONT></U><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=left>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD width=13>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>Not
Applicable.</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=left>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><U><FONT face=serif size=2>Item 5. Interests of Named Experts
      and Counsel</FONT></U><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=left>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD width=13>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>Not
Applicable.</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>3</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<HR align=center width="100%" noShade SIZE=2>
<!--$$/page=--><A name=page_4>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><U><FONT face=serif size=2>Item 6. Indemnification of Directors
      and Officers</FONT></U><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<p></p>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>Section
102(b) of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a corporation to
provide in its Certificate of Incorporation that a director of the corporation
shall not be personally liable to a corporation or its stockholders for monetary
damages for breach or alleged breach of the director's "duty of care." While
this statute does not change the directors' duty of care, it enables
corporations to limit available relief to equitable remedies such as injunction
or rescission. The statute has no effect on a director's duty of loyalty or
liability for acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional
misconduct or knowing violations of law, illegal payment of dividends or stock
redemptions or repurchases, or for any transaction from which the director
derives an improper personal benefit. As permitted by the statute, the Company
has adopted provisions in its Restated Certificate of Incorporation which
eliminate to the fullest extent permissible under Delaware law the personal
liability of its directors to the Company and its stockholders for monetary
damages for breach or alleged breach of their duty of care. </FONT></P>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>Section 145
of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides for the
indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents of a corporation.
The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company provide for indemnification of
its directors, officers, employees and agents to the full extent permitted by
Delaware law, including those circumstances in which indemnification would
otherwise be discretionary under Delaware law. The Company's Amended and
Restated Bylaws also empower it to enter into indemnification agreements with
its directors and officers and to purchase insurance on behalf of any person
whom it is required or permitted to indemnify. The Company has entered into
agreements with its directors and certain of its executive officers that require
the Company to indemnify such persons to the fullest extent permitted under
Delaware law against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts
actually and reasonably incurred (including expenses of a derivative action) in
connection with any proceeding, whether actual or threatened, to which any such
person may be made a party by reason of the fact that such person is or was a
director or an executive officer of the Company or any of its affiliated
enterprises. The indemnification agreements also set forth certain procedures
that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification thereunder.
</FONT></P>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>Section 145
of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides for
indemnification in terms sufficiently broad to indemnify such individuals, under
certain circumstances, for liabilities (including reimbursement of expenses
incurred) arising under the Securities Act. </FONT></P>
<P align=left>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><U><FONT face=serif size=2>Item 7. Exemption From Registration
      Claimed</FONT></U><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<p></p>
<P align=left>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>Not Applicable.</FONT><BR><U><FONT
      face=serif size=2>Item 8</FONT></U><FONT face=serif size=2>.
      </FONT><U><FONT face=serif
size=2>Exhibits</FONT></U><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<p></p>
<P align=left><FONT face=serif size=2>See Exhibit Index, which is incorporated
herein by reference.</FONT></P>
<P align=left>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><U><FONT face=serif size=2>Item 9</FONT></U><FONT face=serif
      size=2>. </FONT><U><FONT face=serif
  size=2>Undertakings</FONT></U><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<p></p>
<P align=left>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD width=13>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>The undersigned registrant hereby
      undertakes:</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<p></p>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>(1) To file,
during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to this Registration Statement: </FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face=serif size=2>(i) To include any prospectus required by
Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;</FONT></P>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>4</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></A>
<HR align=center width="100%" noShade SIZE=2>
<!--$$/page=--><A name=page_5></A>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>(ii) To
reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date
of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the Registration Statement; and</FONT></P>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>(iii) To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to
such information in this Registration Statement; </FONT></P>
<P align=left><U><FONT face=serif size=2>provided, however</FONT></U><FONT
face=serif size=2>, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement. </FONT></P>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>(2) That,
for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
</FONT></P>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>(3) To
remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering. </FONT></P>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual
report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and,
where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report
pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference
in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
</FONT></P>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>Insofar as
indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue. </FONT></P>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>At the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Berry Petroleum Company held on May 11 2005
the Stockholders approved the Berry Petroleum Company 2005 Equity Incentive Plan
(the "Plan") that (i) authorized 1,450,000 shares, the number of shares of Class
A Common Stock, $0.01 par value ("Shares"), for issuance under the Plan. This
Registration Statement registers such securities.</FONT></P>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif size=2>5</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<HR align=center width="100%" noShade SIZE=2>
<!--$$/page=--><A name=page_6>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><B><FONT
face=serif>SIGNATURES</FONT></B><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<p></p>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif size=2>Pursuant to
the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it
has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for
filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of
Bakersfield, State of California, on this 28 day of July 2005.</FONT></P>
<P align=right>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif>BERRY PETROLEUM
  COMPANY</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<p></p>
<P align=left>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD width=239>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif>By: </FONT><U><FONT face=serif>s/s Ralph J.
      Goehring<BR>________________</FONT></U><BR><FONT face=serif>Ralph J.
      Goehring, Executive Vice </FONT><BR><FONT face=serif>President and Chief
      Financial Officer </FONT><BR><FONT face=serif>(Principal Financial
      Officer)</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<p></p>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif>6</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></A>
<HR align=center width="100%" noShade SIZE=2>
<!--$$/page=--><A name=page_7></A>
<P align=left>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<FONT face=serif>Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been
signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates
indicated.</FONT></P>
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 border=0>

  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="35%" colSpan=3><FONT
      face=serif>SIGNATURES</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>TITLE</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%"><FONT face=serif>DATE</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="3%"><FONT face=serif>s/s</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="30%"><FONT face=serif>Martin H.
      Young</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>Chairman of the Board
      and</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%"><FONT face=serif>July 28, 2005</FONT></TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="35%" colSpan=3><FONT face=serif>Martin H.
      Young</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>Director</FONT>&nbsp;
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="3%"><FONT face=serif>s/s</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="30%"><FONT face=serif>Robert F.
      Heinemann</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>Director</FONT>&nbsp;
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%"><FONT face=serif>July 28,</FONT>&nbsp;2005
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="35%" colSpan=3><FONT face=serif>Robert F.
      Heinemann</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="3%"><FONT face=serif>s/s</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="30%"><FONT face=serif>William F.
      Berry</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>Director</FONT>&nbsp;
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%"><FONT face=serif>July 28,</FONT>&nbsp;2005
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="35%" colSpan=3><FONT face=serif>William F.
      Berry</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="3%"><FONT face=serif>s/s</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="30%"><FONT face=serif>Ralph B. Busch,
      III</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>Director</FONT>&nbsp;
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%"><FONT face=serif>July 28,</FONT>&nbsp;2005
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="35%" colSpan=3><FONT face=serif>Ralph B.
      Busch, III</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="3%"><FONT face=serif>s/s</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="30%"><FONT face=serif>William E.
      Bush</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>Director</FONT>&nbsp;
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%"><FONT face=serif>July 28,</FONT>&nbsp;2005
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp;</TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="35%" colSpan=3><FONT face=serif>William E.
      Bush, Jr.</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="3%"><FONT face=serif>s/s</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="30%"><FONT face=serif>Steven L.
      Cropper</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>Director</FONT>&nbsp;
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%"><FONT face=serif>July 28,</FONT>&nbsp;2005
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="35%" colSpan=3><FONT face=serif>Steven L.
      Cropper</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="3%"><U><FONT face=serif>s/s</FONT></U>&nbsp;
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="30%"><U><FONT face=serif>J. Herbert Gaul,
      Jr.</FONT></U>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>Director</FONT>&nbsp;
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%"><FONT face=serif>July 28,</FONT>&nbsp;2005
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="35%" colSpan=3><FONT face=serif>J. Herbert
      Gaul, Jr.</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="3%"><FONT face=serif>s/s</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="30%"><FONT face=serif>John A.
      Hagg</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>Director</FONT>&nbsp;
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%"><FONT face=serif>July 28,</FONT>&nbsp;2005
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="35%" colSpan=3><FONT face=serif>John A.
      Hagg</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD colSpan=9>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="3%"><FONT face=serif>s/s</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="30%"><FONT face=serif>Thomas J.
      Jamieson</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%"><FONT face=serif>Director</FONT>&nbsp;
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%"><FONT face=serif>July 28,</FONT>&nbsp;2005
    </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD>
      <HR noShade SIZE=1>
    </TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD>
    <TD></TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="35%" colSpan=3><FONT face=serif>Thomas J.
      Jamieson</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="39%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="12%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="6%">&nbsp; </TD></TR></TABLE><BR>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif>7</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE></P>
<HR align=center width="100%" noShade SIZE=2>
<!--$$/page=--><A name=page_8>
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 border=0>

  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD align=middle width="100%" colSpan=5><B><FONT face=serif>EXHIBIT
      INDEX</FONT></B> </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%"><U><FONT face=serif>Exhibit
      No.</FONT></U>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="61%"><U><FONT
      face=serif>Description</FONT></U>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="19%"><U><FONT
      face=serif>Sequentially</FONT></U>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="61%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="19%"><U><FONT face=serif>Numbered
      Pages</FONT></U>&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%"><FONT face=serif>4.1</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="61%"><FONT face=serif>Berry Petroleum Company
      2005 Equity Incentive Plan</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="19%"><FONT face=serif>09</FONT>&nbsp;
</TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%"><FONT face=serif>4.2</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="61%"><FONT face=serif>Berry Petroleum Company
    2005 Equity Incentive Plan -</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="19%">29&nbsp;
</TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="61%"><FONT face=serif>Form of Stock Option
      Agreement</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="61%"><FONT face=serif>Berry Petroleum Company
    2005 Equity Incentive Plan -</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%"><FONT face=serif>4.3</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="61%"><FONT face=serif>Form of Stock
      Appreciation Rights Agreement</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="19%"><FONT face=serif>34</FONT>&nbsp;
</TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%"><FONT face=serif>5.1</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="61%"><FONT face=serif>Opinion of Musick
      Peeler &amp; Garrett LLP</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="19%">39&nbsp;
</TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%"><FONT face=serif>23.1</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="61%"><FONT face=serif>Consent of Musick
      Peeler &amp; Garrett LLP (included in</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="19%">39&nbsp;
</TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="61%"><FONT face=serif>Exhibit
      5.1)</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="19%">&nbsp; </TD></TR>
  <TR vAlign=bottom>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="15%"><FONT face=serif>23.2</FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=left width="61%"><FONT face=serif>Consent of
      Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm </FONT>&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp; </TD>
    <TD noWrap align=middle width="19%"><FONT face=serif>41</FONT>&nbsp;
  </TD></TR></TABLE>
<P align=center>
<TABLE>

  <TR>
    <TD noWrap><FONT face=serif>8</FONT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<p></p>
</A>
<HR align=center width="100%" noShade SIZE=2>
</BODY></HTML>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "s872905final.htm", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 45051}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "BERRY PETROLEUM CO", "cik": "0000778438", "assigned-sic": "1311", "irs-number": "770079387", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-127018", "film-number": "05984006"}, "business-address": {"street1": "5201 TRUXTUN AVENUE,", "street2": "SUITE 300", "city": "BAKERSFIELD", "state": "CA", "zip": "93309-0640", "phone": "661 616-3900"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "BERRY PETROLEUM CO", "street2": "5201 TRUXTUN AVENUE, SUITE 300", "city": "BAKERSFIELD", "state": "CA", "zip": "93309-0640"}}
-- Converted by SECPublisher 3.1.0.1, created by BCL Technologies Inc., for SEC Filing
As filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on July 29, 2005
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
FORM
S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES
ACT OF 1933
BERRY PETROLEUM
COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
Delaware
77-0079387
(State or other
      jurisdiction
(I.R.S.
      Employer
of incorporation or
      organization)
Identification
      No.)
5201 Truxtun Avenue, Suite 300 Bakersfield,
California 93309
(Address of principal executive offices,
including zip code)
Berry Petroleum Company 2005 Equity
Incentive Plan
(Full Title of the
  Plan)
Ralph J.
      Goehring
Copies
      to:
Chief Financial
      Officer
Laura K. McAvoy,
      Esq.
5201 Truxtun Avenue,
      Suite 300
Musick Peeler &
      Garrett, LLP
Bakersfield,
      California 93309
200 N. Westlake
      Blvd., Suite 204
(661)
      616-3900
Westlake Village,
      California 91362
(Name, Address, and
      Telephone number,
including area code,
      of agent for service)
1
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed
Proposed
Maximum
Maximum
Title of
      Securities
Amount to
      be
Offering Price
      per
Aggregate
Amount
      of
to be
      Registered
Registered (1)
      (2)
Share
      (3)
Offering Price
      (4)
Registration
      Fee
Class A
      Common
1,450,000
      shares
$54.16
$78,532,000
$9,243.22
Stock, $.01
      par
value
Rights to
      Purchase
1,450,000
      shares
Shares of Class
      A
Common
      Stock
(1)
This Registration Statement also
      covers such additional number of shares, presently indeterminable, as may
      become issuable in the event of stock dividends, stock splits,
      recapitalizations or other changes in the Class A Common Stock.
(2)
Includes Rights to purchase
      shares of Class A Common Stock upon the occurrence of certain events
      pursuant to the Berry Petroleum Company Rights Agreement dated December 8,
      1999 ("Rights Agreement").
(3)
Estimated solely for purposes of
      calculating the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(h) and
      Rule 457 (c ) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities
      Act"). The Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share has been computed on
      the basis of the price of securities of the same class using the average
      of the high and low prices of the Common Stock as reported by the New York
      Stock Exchange of $54.16 per share on July 22, 2005.
(4)
Amount to be Registered
      multiplied by the Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share.
2
PART
I
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION
10(a) PROSPECTUS
The
document(s) containing the information specified by Part I of Form S-8 will be
sent or given to participants in the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan") as
specified by Securities Act Rule 428(b)(1).
PART
II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3
.
Incorporation of Documents by
      Reference
Berry
Petroleum Company (the "Company") hereby incorporates by reference in this
Registration Statement the following documents:
(a)
The Company's latest annual
      report on Form 10-K filed pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the
      Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
      containing audited financial statements for the Company's latest fiscal
      year ended December 31, 2004, as filed with the Securities and Exchange
      Commission ("Commission") on March 30, 2005;
(b)
The Company's Quarterly Report on
      Form 10-Q for its fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2005, as filed with the
      Commission on May 3, 2005;
(c)
The Company's Current Reports on
      Form 8-K, filed with the Commission on April 14, 2005 (Form 8-K/A), May 3,
      2005, June 7, 2005, June 9, 2005, June 28, 2005, June 29, 2005 and July 1,
      2005;
(d)
The Company's definitive proxy
      statement filed with the Commission on Form DEF 14A on April 11, 2005;
      and
(e)
The description of the Company's
      Common Stock contained in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A
      filed under the Exchange Act on December 7, 1999, including any amendment
      or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
All
documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all securities
offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration
Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.
Item 4. Description of
      Securities
Not
Applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts
      and Counsel
Not
Applicable.
3
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors
      and Officers
Section
102(b) of the Delaware General Corporation Law authorizes a corporation to
provide in its Certificate of Incorporation that a director of the corporation
shall not be personally liable to a corporation or its stockholders for monetary
damages for breach or alleged breach of the director's "duty of care." While
this statute does not change the directors' duty of care, it enables
corporations to limit available relief to equitable remedies such as injunction
or rescission. The statute has no effect on a director's duty of loyalty or
liability for acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional
misconduct or knowing violations of law, illegal payment of dividends or stock
redemptions or repurchases, or for any transaction from which the director
derives an improper personal benefit. As permitted by the statute, the Company
has adopted provisions in its Restated Certificate of Incorporation which
eliminate to the fullest extent permissible under Delaware law the personal
liability of its directors to the Company and its stockholders for monetary
damages for breach or alleged breach of their duty of care.
Section 145
of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides for the
indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents of a corporation.
The Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company provide for indemnification of
its directors, officers, employees and agents to the full extent permitted by
Delaware law, including those circumstances in which indemnification would
otherwise be discretionary under Delaware law. The Company's Amended and
Restated Bylaws also empower it to enter into indemnification agreements with
its directors and officers and to purchase insurance on behalf of any person
whom it is required or permitted to indemnify. The Company has entered into
agreements with its directors and certain of its executive officers that require
the Company to indemnify such persons to the fullest extent permitted under
Delaware law against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts
actually and reasonably incurred (including expenses of a derivative action) in
connection with any proceeding, whether actual or threatened, to which any such
person may be made a party by reason of the fact that such person is or was a
director or an executive officer of the Company or any of its affiliated
enterprises. The indemnification agreements also set forth certain procedures
that will apply in the event of a claim for indemnification thereunder.
Section 145
of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware provides for
indemnification in terms sufficiently broad to indemnify such individuals, under
certain circumstances, for liabilities (including reimbursement of expenses
incurred) arising under the Securities Act.
Item 7. Exemption From Registration
      Claimed
Not Applicable.
Item 8
.
Exhibits
See Exhibit Index, which is incorporated
herein by reference.
Item 9
.
Undertakings
The undersigned registrant hereby
      undertakes:
(1) To file,
during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to this Registration Statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by
Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
4
(ii) To
reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date
of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the Registration Statement; and
(iii) To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to
such information in this Registration Statement;
provided, however
, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(l)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.
(2) That,
for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To
remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.
The
undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant's annual
report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and,
where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report
pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference
in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
Insofar as
indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant
pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been
advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
At the
Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Berry Petroleum Company held on May 11 2005
the Stockholders approved the Berry Petroleum Company 2005 Equity Incentive Plan
(the "Plan") that (i) authorized 1,450,000 shares, the number of shares of Class
A Common Stock, $0.01 par value ("Shares"), for issuance under the Plan. This
Registration Statement registers such securities.
5
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to
the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it
has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for
filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of
Bakersfield, State of California, on this 28 day of July 2005.
BERRY PETROLEUM
  COMPANY
By:
s/s Ralph J.
      Goehring
________________
Ralph J.
      Goehring, Executive Vice
President and Chief
      Financial Officer
(Principal Financial
      Officer)
6
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been
signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates
indicated.
SIGNATURES
TITLE
DATE
s/s
Martin H.
      Young
Chairman of the Board
      and
July 28, 2005
Martin H.
      Young
Director
s/s
Robert F.
      Heinemann
Director
July 28,
2005
Robert F.
      Heinemann
s/s
William F.
      Berry
Director
July 28,
2005
William F.
      Berry
s/s
Ralph B. Busch,
      III
Director
July 28,
2005
Ralph B.
      Busch, III
s/s
William E.
      Bush
Director
July 28,
2005
William E.
      Bush, Jr.
s/s
Steven L.
      Cropper
Director
July 28,
2005
Steven L.
      Cropper
s/s
J. Herbert Gaul,
      Jr.
Director
July 28,
2005
J. Herbert
      Gaul, Jr.
s/s
John A.
      Hagg
Director
July 28,
2005
John A.
      Hagg
s/s
Thomas J.
      Jamieson
Director
July 28,
2005
Thomas J.
      Jamieson
7
EXHIBIT
      INDEX
Exhibit
      No.
Description
Sequentially
Numbered
      Pages
4.1
Berry Petroleum Company
      2005 Equity Incentive Plan
09
4.2
Berry Petroleum Company
    2005 Equity Incentive Plan -
29
Form of Stock Option
      Agreement
Berry Petroleum Company
    2005 Equity Incentive Plan -
4.3
Form of Stock
      Appreciation Rights Agreement
34
5.1
Opinion of Musick
      Peeler & Garrett LLP
39
23.1
Consent of Musick
      Peeler & Garrett LLP (included in
39
Exhibit
      5.1)
23.2
Consent of
      Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
41
8