SC 13G: Schedule filed to report acquisition of beneficial ownership of 5% or more of a class of equity securities by passive investors and certain institutions

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

Schedule 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )*

Vaalco Energy, Inc.
________________________________________
(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock
________________________________________
(Title of Class of Securities)

91851C20
_________________________
(CUSIP Number)


Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this
statement [ ]. (A fee is not required only if the filing person:
(1) has a previous statement on file reporting beneficial
ownership of more than five percent of the class of securities
described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no amendment subsequent
thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five percent or less of
such class.) (See Rule 13d - 7.)

* The remainder of the cover page shall be filled out for a
reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to
the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment
containing information which would alter the disclosures provided
in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page
shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise
subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall
be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).

(Continued on following page(s))




CUSIP No. 91851C20 13G
__________

1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
(I.R.S. NO. 13-5581829)

2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [ ] Not applicable
(b) [ ] Not applicable

3. SEC USE ONLY

4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
A New York corporation

5. SOLE VOTING POWER
1,500,000
NUMBER OF
SHARES 6. SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY - 0 -
OWNED BY EACH
REPORTING 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON WITH 1,500,000

8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
- 0 -

9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
1,500,000
(All shares included in these totals were acquired for the
benefit of the Reporting Person by its affiliate, State Street
Research & Management Company, Inc., an Investment Adviser
registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act.
This affiliate follows an independent investment decision-making
process and has sole voting and/or dispositive power over such
securities.)

10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES*

11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
9.6%

12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IC



SCHEDULE 13G

Item 1 (a). Name of Issuer
Vaalco Energy, Inc.

Item 1 (b). Address of Issuer's Principal Office:
4600 Post Oak Place
Suite 309
Houston, TX 77027

Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
By Jane C. Weinberg, Associate General Counsel

Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office
One Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10010

Item 2(c). Citizenship
A New York corporation

Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities
Common Stock

Item 2(e). CUSIP Number
91851C20

Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Rules 13d-1(b),
or 13d-2(b), check whether the person filing is a:
(a) [ ] Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the
Act.
(b) [ ] Bank as defined in Section 3 (a) (6) of the Act.
(c) [X] Insurance Company as defined in Section 3 (a) (19)
of the Act.
(d) [ ] Investment Company registered under Section 8 of
the Investment Company Act.
(e) [ ] Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
(f) [ ] Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is
subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974 or Endowment Fund
(g) [ ] Parent Holding Company, in accordance with Section
240.13d-1(b) (ii) (G) (Note: See Item 7).
(h) [ ] Group, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1 (b)
(1) (ii) (H)


SCHEDULE 13G

Item 4. Ownership:

If the percent of the class owned, as of December 31 of the year
covered by the statement, or as of the last day of any month
described in Rule 13d-1(b) (2), if applicable, exceeds five
percent, provide the following information as of that date and
identify those shares which there is a right to acquire.

(a) Amount Beneficially Owned: 1,500,000

(b) Percent of Class: 9.6%

(c) Number of shares as to which such person has

(i) sole power to vote or to direct the
vote: 1,500,000
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the
vote: -0-
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of: 1,500,000
(iv) shared power to dispose or to direct
the disposition of: -0-

Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of
the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the
beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of
securities, check the following [ ].

Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of
Another Person: Not applicable


SCHEDULE 13G

Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary
Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent
Holding Company: Not applicable

Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the
Group: Not applicable

Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group: Not applicable

Item 10. Certification:

By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose
of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the
control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having
such purpose or effect.

Signature.

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.

Date: February 6, 1998


Signature: /s/Jane C. Weinberg
Associate General Counsel