Form: 3

Initial statement of beneficial ownership of securities

May 1, 1998

3: Initial statement of beneficial ownership of securities

Published on May 1, 1998



INFORMATION TABLE FOR FORM 3. Modify information here; it will be
automatically updated in Form 3. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO PRINT THIS
PAGE. DO NOT DELETE THIS PAGE.



Last Name of Reporting Person Grist
First Name of Reporting Person Walter
Middle Name of Reporting Person W.
Street Address of Reporting Person c/o Brown Brothers Harriman
& Co.
59 Wall Street
City of Reporting Person
State of Reporting Person
Zip Code of Reporting Person
Date of Event Requiring Statement 4/21/98
IRS or SS # of Reporting Person
Issuer Name Ticker/Trading Symbol Vaalco Energy, Inc. (VEIX)
If Amendment, date of Original (otherwise blank)
Information for Signed Pursuant
Filed by one reporting person
Filed by more than one reporting person

Relationship of Reporting Person to Issuer: (Place an X where appropriate:
leave others blank.)

Director X
10% Owner
Officer (* indicate below)
Other (* indicate below)
* Specify:





U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940



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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *

Grist Walter W.
(Last) (First) (Middle)

c/o Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
59 Wall Street
(Street)

New York NY 10005
(City) (State) (Zip)


2. Date of Event Requiring Statement ( Month / Day / Year )

4/21/98

3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)


4. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

Vaalco Energy, Inc. (VEIX)

5. Relationship of Reporting Person to Issuer (Check all applicable)

X Director 10% Owner
----- -----
Officer (give title Other
----- below) ----- (specify
below)

----------------------------------------


6. If Amendment, Date or Original (Month/Year)


7. Individual or Join/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X Form filed by One Reporting Person
-----
Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
-----




TABLE I -- NON-DERIVATIVE SECURITIES BENEFICIALLY OWNED

1. Title of security 2. Amount of Securities 3. Ownership 4. Nature of Indirect
(Inst.4) Beneficially Owned Form: Direct (D) Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)
(Inst. 5)
- ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------

(1)
- ---------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or
indirectly. (Over)
* If the Form is filed by more than one reporting person, SEE instruction
5(b)(v). SEC 1473(7-97)






FORM 3 (CONTINUED) TABLE II -- DERIVATIVE SECURITIES BENEFICIALLY OWNED (E.G., PUTS,
CALLS, WARRANTS, OPTIONS, CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES)

1. Title of Derivative Security 2. Date Exercisable and 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying
(Instr. 4) Expiration Date Derivative Security (Instr. 4)
(Month/Day/Year)
Amount or
Date Expiration Title Number of
Exercisable Date Shares
- --------------------------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ---------------------- -----------------------------

(1)
- --------------------------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ---------------------- -----------------------------



4. Conversion or 5. Ownership 6. Nature of Indirect
Exercise Price of Form of Beneficial Ownership
Derivative Derivative (Instr. 5)
Security Security:
Direct (D) or
Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
- ---------------------------- --------------------- ------------------------------------------------

- ---------------------------- --------------------- ------------------------------------------------


Explanation of Responses:

(1) The reporting person does not beneficially own any securities of the issuer.


**Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal
Violations. SEE 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed.
If space provided is insufficient, SEE Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained
in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a current
valid OMB Number.


/s/ Walter W. Grist May 1, 1998
- ------------------------------- -----------
**Signature of Reporting Person Date


Page 2
SEC 1473 (7-97)