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): November 18, 2004




                        Pioneer Natural Resources Company
             ------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)



          Delaware                    1-13245                75-2702753
----------------------------        ------------        -------------------
(State or other jurisdiction        (Commission          (I.R.S. Employer
     of incorporation)              File Number)        Identification No.)



5205 N. O'Connor Blvd., Suite 900, Irving, Texas                75039
------------------------------------------------             ----------
   (Address of principal executive offices)                  (Zip Code)


                                 (972) 444-9001
              ----------------------------------------------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)



                                 Not applicable
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


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:

| | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
    230.425)
| | Soliciting  material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the  Exchange Act (17 CFR
    240.14a-12)
| | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
    Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
| | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
    Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))








                        PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES COMPANY

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                         Page

Item 5.02.  Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election
            of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officer.............    3

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

            (c)   Exhibits.............................................    3

Signature..............................................................    4

Exhibit Index..........................................................    5



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                        PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES COMPANY

Item 5.02.  Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors;
            Appointment of Principal Officers

     On November 18, 2004,  Pioneer  Natural  Resources  Company (the "Company")
issued a news  release  that is  attached  hereto as exhibit  99.1.  In the news
release, the Company announced that (i) Timothy L. Dove has been named President
and Chief Operating Officer, (ii) Richard P. Dealy has been named Executive Vice
President and Chief  Financial  Officer and (iii) Darin G. Holderness has agreed
to join the Company as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer.

     Mr. Dove was formerly the  Company's  Executive  Vice  President  and Chief
Financial  Officer.  The  information  required by Items 401(b),  (d) and (e) of
Regulation S-K for Mr. Dove was previously reported in the Company's  Definitive
Proxy  Statement on Schedule  14A,  File No.  1-13245,  which was filed with the
Securities and Exchange  Commission on April 2, 2004. During 2004, there were no
material  transactions  between the Company and Mr. Dove pursuant to Item 404(a)
of Regulation S-K.

     Mr. Dealy was formerly the Company's  Vice  President and Chief  Accounting
Officer.  He is 38 years of age. The  description of Mr.  Dealy's  positions and
offices and term of office with the Company and his business  experience  during
the past five years is described in the attached news release attached hereto as
exhibit 99.1. There were no arrangements or understanding  between Mr. Dealy and
the Company pursuant to which he was selected as an officer. There are no family
relationships  between Mr. Dealy and any  director or  executive  officer of the
Company or Mr.  Holderness.  During  2004,  there were no material  transactions
between the Company and Mr. Dealy pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

     Mr.  Holderness  is 41 years of age.  The  description  of Mr.  Holderness'
business experience during the past five years is described in the attached news
release  attached  hereto  as  exhibit  99.1.  There  were  no  arrangements  or
understanding  between Mr.  Holderness and the Company  pursuant to which he was
selected as an officer. There are no family relationships between Mr. Holderness
and any director or executive officer of the Company. During 2004, there were no
material  transactions  between the Company and Mr. Holderness  pursuant to Item
404(a) of Regulation S-K.

     The Company has entered into  severance  agreements  with Messrs.  Dove and
Dealy  and  will  enter  into a  similar  agreement  with  Mr.  Holderness  upon
employment.  Either the  Company or the  officer  may  terminate  the  officer's
employment  under the severance  agreement at any time. The Company must pay the
officer an amount equal to one year's base salary if the officer's employment is
terminated because of death,  disability or normal retirement.  The Company must
pay the officer an amount  equal to one year's base salary and  continue  health
insurance for the officer's  family for one year if the Company  terminates  the
officer's  employment without cause or if the officer terminates  employment for
good reason, which is when reductions in the officer's base annual salary exceed
specified limits or when the officer's  responsibilities have been significantly
reduced.  If within  one year  after a change in  control  of the  Company,  the
Company  terminates  the officer  without  cause,  or if the officer  terminates
employment for good reason,  the Company must pay the officer an amount equal to
2.99 times the sum of the officer's base salary plus the greater of target bonus
for the current year or actual bonus for the previous  year and continue  health
insurance for one year for Messrs.  Dealy and  Holderness  and their  respective
families and for Mr. Dove and his family until he is eligible for  Medicare.  If
the officer  terminates  employment  with the Company without reason between six
months and one year after a change in  control,  or at any time  within one year
after a change in control if the officer is  required to move,  then the Company
must pay the officer one year's base salary and continue  health  insurance  for
the  officer's  family for one year.  Officers are also  entitled to  additional
payments  for  certain  tax  liabilities  that may apply to  severance  payments
following a change in control.

Item 9.01.   Financial Statements and Exhibits

       (c)   Exhibits

             99.1     News Release dated November 18, 2004.


                                       3











                        PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES COMPANY

                                S I G N A T U R E

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 hereunto duly authorized.

                                PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES COMPANY




Date:  November 23, 2004        By:    /s/ Richard P. Dealy
                                     ------------------------------------------
                                     Richard P. Dealy
                                     Executive Vice President
                                     and Chief Financial Officer


                                       4









                        PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES COMPANY

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.         Description
-----------         -----------

   99.1(a)          News Release dated November 18, 2004.


-------------
(a) filed herewith



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