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): January 16, 2006




                        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 8.01.  Other Events.............................................    3

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits........................    3

            (d)   Exhibits...........................................    3

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

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




                                        2





                        PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES COMPANY



Item 8.01.    Other Events

     On January 16, 2006, Pioneer Natural Resources Company  ("Pioneer") and its
subsidiaries   (collectively,   the  "Company")   entered  into  Stock  Purchase
Agreements and related  agreements with Apache  Corporation and its subsidiaries
(collectively,  "Apache"),  as a result of which  Apache  will  purchase  all of
Pioneer's  Argentine  operations  and assets for cash proceeds of  approximately
US$675 million. Some of the properties,  most important the assets in Tierra del
Fuego,  are subject to rights of first  refusal.  In addition to normal  closing
conditions,  Pioneer's  sale of its  Neuquen  basin  assets  and  operations  is
conditioned  on the  completion of the sale of Tierra del Fuego either to Apache
or to the holders of the rights of first refusal. The transaction is expected to
close during the first quarter or early second quarter of 2006.

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

       (d)  Exhibits

            99.1  News Release dated January 17, 2006.




                                        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:  January 20, 2006         By:   /s/ Darin G. Holderness
                                    ------------------------------
                                    Darin G. Holderness
                                    Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer




                                        4




                       PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES COMPANY

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



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

 99.1(a)                 News Release dated January 17, 2006.


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






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