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 5 percent of the class
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 persons
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))
Page 1 of 5 Pages

CUSIP No. 91851C20 13G Page 2 of 5 Pages

1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
State Street Research & Management Company
#13-31424135
______________________________________________________________________________
2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
______________________________________________________________________________
3. SEC USE ONLY


______________________________________________________________________________
4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Reporting Person is a corporation organized under Delaware laws. Principal
office of Reporting Person is in Boston, MA.
______________________________________________________________________________
5. SOLE VOTING POWER
0
NUMBER OF
SHARES 6. SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY -0-
OWNED BY EACH
REPORTING 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON WITH 0

8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
-0-
______________________________________________________________________________
9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
0
______________________________________________________________________________
10. CHECK BOX IF AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*
______________________________________________________________________________
11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
0%
______________________________________________________________________________
12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
Investment adviser

*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT




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SCHEDULE G

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

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

Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing
State Street Research & Management Company

Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office
One Financial Center, 30th Floor
Boston, MA 02111-2690

Item 2(c). Citizenship
Reporting Person is a corporation organized under Delaware laws.
Principal office of Reporting Person is Boston, MA

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) [ ] Insurance Company registered under Section 3(a)(19) of the
Act
(d) [ ] Investment company registered under Section 8 of the
Investment Company Act
(e) [x] 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: see Section 240.13d-
1(b)(1)(ii)(F)
(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)




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SCHEDULE G

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 5 percent,
provide the following information as of that date and identify
those shares which there is a right to acquire.

(a) Amount beneficially owned: 0
(b) Percent of Class: 0%
(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:

(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
0
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
-0-
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of: 0

(iv) shared power to dispose or direct the
disposition of: -0-

State Street Research & Management Company disclaims any beneficial
interest in any of the foregoing securities.

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 [x].

Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
Person.

If any other person is known to have the right to receive or the
power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds
from the sale of, such securities, a statement to that effect
should be included in response to this item and, if such
interest relates to more than five percent of the class, such
person should be identified. A listing of the shareholders of an
investment company registered under the Investment Company
Act of 1940 or the beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan,
pension fund or endowment fund is not required.

All foregoing shares are in fact owned by clients of State Street
Research & Management Company.



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SCHEDULE G

Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
Company.

If a parent holding company has filed this schedule, pursuant to
Rule 13d- 1(b)(ii)(G), so indicate under Item 3(g) and attach an
exhibit stating the identity and the Item 3 classification
of the relevant subsidiary. If a parent holding company has
filed this schedule pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), attach an exhibit
stating the identification of the relevant subsidiary.

Inapplicable

Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

If a group has filed this schedule pursuant to Rule 13d-
1(b)(ii)(H), so indicate under Item 3(b) and attach an
exhibit stating the identity and Item 3 classification of each
member of the group. If a group has filed this schedule
pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), attach an exhibit stating the identity of
each member of the group.

Inapplicable

Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group

Inapplicable

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 purposes or effect.

Signature

After reasonable inquire 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: August 4, 2000

Signature: ________________________

Name/Title: Mary T. Lomasney
Vice President/Director of Compliance

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