BASIC EARTH SCIENCE SYSTEMS INC
10KSB, 1998-07-09
CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS
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                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 10-KSB

[X]  ANNUAL REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE  SECURITIES  EXCHANGE ACT OF
     1934

                    For the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998

[ ]  TRANSITION REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES  EXCHANGE ACT
     OF 1934

                         Commission file number: 0-7914

                        BASIC EARTH SCIENCE SYSTEMS, INC.
                       633 Seventeenth Street, Suite 1670
                             Denver, Colorado 80202

                            Telephone (303) 294-9525

Incorporated in Delaware                                      IRS ID# 84-0592823



Securities registered under Section 12(b) of the Act:  NONE

Securities registered under Section 12(g) of the Act:  
                         Common Stock, $.001 par value

Check  whether the issuer (1) filed all reports  required to be filed by Section
13 or 15(d) of the  Exchange  Act during the past 12 months (or for such shorter
period that the registrant was required to file such reports),  and (2) has been
subject to the filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes [X] No [ ]

Check if disclosure  of delinquent  filers in response to Item 405 of Regulation
S-B is not contained in this form, and no disclosure  will be contained,  to the
best of registrant's  knowledge,  in definitive proxy or information  statements
incorporated  by reference  in Part III of this Form 10-KSB or any  amendment to
this Form 10-KSB. [ ]

Issuer's revenues for its most recent fiscal year:  $2,450,000

As of June 15, 1998,  16,530,487  shares of the  registrant's  common stock were
outstanding  and the  aggregate  market  value  of  such  common  stock  held by
non-affiliates was approximately $345,000.

The proxy  statement for the 1998 annual  meeting is  incorporated  by reference
into Part III.
                                        
<PAGE>

                        Basic Earth Science Systems, Inc.

                                   Form 10-KSB

                                 March 31, 1998

                                Table of Contents
                                -----------------

Part I:                                                                   Page
                                                                          ----

   Item 1.           Description  of Business............................   3

   Item 2.           Description of  Property............................   9

   Item 3.           Legal Proceedings...................................  11

   Item 4.           Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.  11

Part II:

   Item 5.           Market for Common Equity and Related Stockholder
                     Matters.............................................  12

   Item 6.           Management's Discussion and Analysis or
                     Plan of Operation...................................  13

   Item 7.           Financial Statements................................  20

   Item 8.           Changes In and Disagreements With Accountants
                     On Accounting and Financial Disclosure..............  41

Part III:

   Item 9.           Directors, Executive Officers, Promoters and
                     Control Persons; Compliance With
                     Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act...................  41

   Item 10.          Executive Compensation..............................  41

   Item 11.          Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
                     and Management......................................  41

   Item 12.          Certain Relationships and Related
                     Transactions........................................  41

Part IV:

   Item 13.          Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K....................  42


<PAGE>


Part I
- ------

                                     ITEM 1
                             DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

Overview
- --------

Basic  Earth  Science  Systems,  Inc.  (Basic or the  Company),  was  originally
organized  in July 1969 and  became a public  company  in 1980.  The  Company is
principally engaged in the acquisition, exploitation, development, operation and
production  of  crude  oil and  natural  gas.  The  Company's  primary  areas of
operation are the Williston  basin in North Dakota and Montana,  south Texas and
the D-J basin in Colorado.

Business Development
- --------------------

In its fiscal year ended March 31, 1995,  the Company  reported  the  successful
establishment  of a new banking  relationship,  the drilling and recompletion of
four wells on its Antenna Federal Prospect,  the sale of its office building and
move  of its  corporate  headquarters  from  the  suburbs  to  downtown  Denver,
Colorado, the sale of deep exploration rights in south Texas and the acquisition
of approximately sixty properties in the Williston basin.

In the fiscal year ended March 31, 1996 compared to the previous  year,  oil and
gas sales revenue increased 97% from approximately $1.4 million to approximately
$2.8  million  and Cash  Flows from  Operating  Activities  increased  484% from
$134,000 to $782,000. Production expense was higher than expected and net income
was lower than expected due to the magnitude of  unanticipated  equipment repair
costs  associated with a large  acquisition  the Company  completed the previous
year in the Williston basin.

In the fiscal year ended March 31, 1997 compared to the previous  year,  oil and
gas sales revenue increased 7% from  approximately $2.8 million to approximately
$3.0  million,  while Cash Flows from  Operating  Activities  decreased 30% from
$782,000  to  $544,000.  This  decrease  in cash flow was  primarily a result of
reducing the Company's payables, accrued liabilities and other current assets.

In the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998 compared to the previous  year,  oil and
gas sales revenue decreased 20% from approximately $3.0 million to approximately
$2.4  million,  while Cash Flows from  Operating  Activities  decreased 25% from
$544,000  to  $406,000.  This  decrease  in cash flow was  primarily a result of
reducing the Company's payables, accrued liabilities and loss from operations.

During the last half of the Company's  fiscal year,  the price of oil on the New
York Mercantile  Exchange (NYMEX)  plummeted from $21.18 per barrel at September
30, 1997 to $15.61 per barrel at March 31, 1998; reaching a low on March 17th of
$13.23 per barrel.  These  declines have had a profound  impact on the Company's

                                       3
<PAGE>


cash flow,  reserves as calculated in accordance with SEC  regulations,  plan of
operation and outlook.  As a result of this impact,  the  Company's  independent
auditors have included a "going concern"  explanatory  paragraph in their report
of Independent  Certified  Public  Accountants.  An expanded  discussion of this
issue can be found in Item 6,  Management  Discussion and Analysis and in Note 2
to the Audited Financial Statements.

Contemplated Activities
- -----------------------

General  The  Company's  long  term  plan of  operation  involving  Development,
Acquisitions,   Drilling  and   Divestitures/Abandonments  is  described  below.
However, the Company has suspended this plan pending the recovery of oil prices.
In the interim,  the Company is focusing on reducing  both lease  operating  and
general  and  administrative   expenses.  In  addition,  the  Company  plans  to
accelerate  its plans to divest and/or  abandon  marginal  wells in an effort to
generate additional cash from sales or the salvage of leasehold  equipment.  The
Company  may also  alter or vary its plan of  operation  based  upon  changes in
circumstances,   unforeseen  opportunities,  inability  to  negotiate  favorable
acquisition or loan terms, lack of funding and other events which the Company is
not able to anticipate.

Development The Company holds a number of properties  that  management  believes
has the  potential  for  increased  cash flow and may have  additional  unproved
reserves  which  could  be  exploited.  This  exploitation  may be  realized  by
conventional  and  unconventional  petroleum  engineering  techniques  and field
management  practices.  However,  given current oil prices,  management does not
expect to pursue  these  potential  opportunities  in the  upcoming  fiscal year
unless oil prices improve.

Acquisitions  The  Company  continues  to  evaluate  properties  which  are made
available  for sale.  However,  there can be no  assurances  that  funds will be
available to pursue such opportunities or that offers the Company submits may be
accepted.

Drilling While drilling is no longer the major focus of the Company's  strategy,
Basic may participate in high quality development or exploratory prospects which
management  believes  are  capable  of  increasing  reserves  and cash flow with
reasonable risk.

Divestitures/Abandonment  The Company  holds a number of marginal,  operated and
non-operated  properties in several states. Basic intends accelerate its efforts
to plug or sell these wells in the coming fiscal year.  Management believes that
the salvage value of the associated equipment,  net of plugging costs, will have
a positive impact on the Company's cash flow.

Segment Information and Major Customers
- ---------------------------------------

Industry  Segment The Company is engaged only in the upstream segment of the oil
and gas  industry,  which  comprises  exploration,  production,  operations  and
development. The Company has no gathering, transportation, refining or marketing
functions.

                                       4
<PAGE>


Markets The Company's  oil and natural gas is sold to various  purchasers in the
geographic area of its properties. Basic is a small company and, as such, has no
impact on the market for its goods and little  control over the price  received.
The market  for,  and the value of, oil and  natural  gas are  dependent  upon a
number of factors including other sources of production,  competitive fuels, and
proximity  and capacity of pipelines  or other means of  transportation,  all of
which are beyond the control of Basic.

The Company believes that substantially all domestic oil, which is produced, can
be readily sold at prevailing market prices. The oil prices the Company receives
are  slightly  lower  than the  benchmark  U.S.  crude  spot  price  because  of
adjustments for location and grade.  The price of domestic oil fluctuates due to
supply  and  demand.   Since  there  is  strong  competition  among  purchasers,
management  does not believe it is  dependent  on any one  purchaser or group of
purchasers.

In the year  ended  March 31,  1998,  Basic  sold 64  percent of its oil and gas
production to a total of three purchasers: 19 percent to Cenex, Inc., 21 percent
to Murphy Oil USA, Inc. and 24 percent to Norco Crude  Gathering,  Inc. Sales to
no other  customer of Basic (or group of customers  under common  control)  were
equal to 10 percent or more of oil and gas sales.

Substantially  all of Basic's gas production is sold at prevailing  wellhead gas
prices,  subject to additional  charges customary to an area. Basic does not own
or operate any gas gathering or processing  plant facilities nor does it possess
sufficient volume on any pipeline to market its product to end users.

Competition
- -----------

The oil and gas industry is a highly competitive and speculative  business.  The
Company  encounters strong  competition from major and independent oil companies
in all phases of its operations, particularly in the acquisition of economically
desirable producing  properties and drilling  prospects.  Competition is intense
with respect to the acquisition of large producing properties, or large packages
of  producing   properties.   These  multiple  well  packages  are  particularly
competitive if they include  partially  developed  properties or properties with
natural gas  attributes.  In this  arena,  the Company  must  compete  with many
companies having financial resources and technical staffs  significantly  larger
than its own.  However,  management  believes that the  competition  for smaller
properties,  especially distressed properties,  is less intense.  Because of the
limited capital  resources  available to the Company,  management has focused on
these smaller and/or marginal properties in its acquisition efforts.

Regulations
- -----------

General  The  operations  of the  Company  are  affected  in varying  degrees by
federal,  state,  regional and local laws and  regulations,  including,  but not
limited to, laws  governing  allowable  rates of production,  well spacing,  air

                                       5
<PAGE>


emissions,  water  discharges,   reporting  requirements,   endangered  species,
marketing, prices, and taxes. The Company is further affected by changes in such
laws and by constantly changing administrative  regulations.  To the best of its
knowledge,  the Company is in compliance  with all such  regulations  and is not
aware of any  claims  which  could  have a material  impact  upon the  Company's
financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

Federal  Taxation During fiscal 1993, The  Comprehensive  National Energy Policy
Act (Act) was signed  into law.  The Act  provides  for various  incentives  and
revenue-raising provisions.  Perhaps most significant to independent oil and gas
companies are the  provisions  repealing  certain  intangible  drilling cost and
statutory  depletion  tax  preferences  for  the  purposes  of  calculating  the
alternative  minimum  tax.  While  provisions  are  favorable to the oil and gas
industry,  Basic will not realize  current  benefits  because of its  relatively
high,   non-cash   depletion  expense  and  a  substantial  net  operating  loss
carryforward.

Natural Gas Pricing During fiscal 1992, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC)  issued  FERC Order 636 (the  Order)  which is  intended  to ensure  that
pipelines  provide  transportation  service that is equal in quality for all gas
suppliers,  whether  the  customer  purchases  gas from the  pipeline  or from a
different  supplier.  While the Company views this Order as favorable to natural
gas  producers,  it does not have a  material  impact  on Basic in that the vast
majority of the Company's production is crude oil rather than natural gas.

Environmental Matters The Company is subject to various federal, state, regional
and local laws and regulations  relating to the discharge of materials into, and
the  protection of, the  environment.  These laws and  regulations,  among other
things,  may  impose  liability  on the  owner  or the  lessee  for the  cost of
pollution  cleanup  resulting  from  operations,  subject the owner or lessee to
liability  for  pollution  damages,  require  the  suspension  or  cessation  of
operations  in  affected  areas  and  impose   restrictions  on  injection  into
subsurface  aquifers that may contaminate ground water.  Although  environmental
requirements  do have a  substantial  impact  upon the  energy  industry,  these
requirements do not appear to affect Basic any differently  than other companies
in this  industry  who operate in a given  geographic  area.  The Company is not
aware of any  environmental  claims which could have a material  impact upon the
Company's financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

Such regulation has increased the resources  required and costs  associated with
planning, designing,  drilling, operating and both installing and abandoning oil
and natural gas wells and facilities. Indeed, within the fiscal year just ended,
the Company has had to re-allocate staff resources to the task of complying with
developing,  changing and expanding environmental regulations. As yet, Basic has
not had to hire any new employees to comply with these regulations.  The Company
will  continue  to  make  expenditures  in its  efforts  to  comply  with  these
requirements, which are unavoidable business costs in the oil and gas industry.


                                       6
<PAGE>


Although the Company is not fully insured  against all  environmental  and other
risks,  it maintains  insurance  coverage  which it believes is customary in the
industry.

Certain Risks
- -------------

Volatility  of Oil & Gas  Prices  The  Company's  revenues,  operating  results,
profitability,  future rate of growth and the carrying  value of its oil and gas
properties are substantially dependent upon prevailing market prices for oil and
gas. Historically, the markets for oil and gas have been volatile and in certain
periods have been  depressed by excess  domestic  and  imported  supplies.  Such
volatility  is  expected to reoccur in the future.  Various  factors  beyond the
control of the Company will affect  prices of oil and gas,  including  worldwide
and  domestic  supplies  of oil and  gas,  the  ability  of the  members  of the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to agree to and maintain oil price
and production controls,  political instability or armed conflict in oil and gas
producing regions, the price and level of foreign imports, the level of consumer
demand, the price,  availability and acceptance of alternative fuels and weather
conditions.  In addition to market factors,  actions of state and local agencies
and the United States and foreign  governments affect oil and gas prices.  These
external factors and the volatile nature of the energy markets make it difficult
to estimate future prices of oil and gas. Any substantial or extended decline in
the price of oil would have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial
condition  and results of  operations.  Such decline  could reduce the Company's
cash  flow and  borrowing  capacity  and both the  value  and the  amount of the
Company's oil and gas reserves.

Uncertainty of Reserve  Information  and Future Net Revenue  Estimates There are
numerous  uncertainties  inherent in estimating quantities of proved oil and gas
reserves and their values,  including many factors beyond the Company's control.
The reserve information set forth in this Form 10-KSB represents estimates only.
Reserve  estimates  are  imprecise  and  may  materially  change  as  additional
information   becomes  available.   More  importantly,   reserve  estimates  may
materially change as oil and gas prices fluctuate in their normal course and may
materially  change as a result of the price on a single day; the last day of the
Company's  fiscal  year.  For these  reasons,  the Company  believes oil and gas
reserves  are  valued as  current  inventory  rather  than long term  assets and
believes such estimates to be unreasonable and unreliable.

Estimates of oil and natural gas reserves,  by necessity,  are projections based
on  geologic  and  engineering   data,  and  there  are   uncertainties  in  the
interpretation  of such  data  as well as the  projection  of  future  rates  of
production and the timing of development expenditures.  Reserve engineering is a
subjective  process of estimating  underground  accumulations of oil and natural
gas that are difficult to measure. The accuracy of any estimate is a function of
the quality of available data,  engineering,  and geological  interpretation and
judgement. Estimates of economically recoverable oil and gas reserves and future
net  cash  flows  necessarily  depend  upon a number  of  variable  factors  and
assumptions,  such as  future  operating  costs,  severance  and  excise  taxes,
development  costs,  workover  costs,  remedial costs and the assumed effects of
regulations by governmental agencies, all of which may in fact vary considerable

                                       7
<PAGE>


from actual results. Other variables,  specifically oil and gas prices are fixed
at the prices  existing on the last day of the fiscal year,  whether such prices
or reasonable;  and which may vary considerably  from actual results.  For these
reasons,  estimates of the  economically  recoverable  quantities of oil and gas
attributable to any property or any group of properties, classifications of such
reserves based upon risk of recovery, and estimates of the future net cash flows
expected  therefrom  may vary  substantially.  Any  significant  variance in the
assumptions  could  materially  affect the  estimated  quantity and value of the
reserves.  Actual  production,  revenues  and  expenditures  with respect to the
Company's  reserves will likely vary from  estimates,  and such variances may be
material.

Reserves, as calculated by SEC regulations,  as referred to in this Form 10-KSB,
should not be construed as the current market value of the estimated oil and gas
attributable to the Company's  properties.  The timing of actual future net cash
flows  from  proved  reserves,  and thus their  actual  present  value,  will be
affected  by the timing of both the  production  and  incidence  of  expenses in
connection with both extraction  costs and development  costs. In addition,  the
10% discount factor, which is required to be used for reporting purposes, is not
necessarily  the most  appropriate  discount  factor based on interest  rates in
effect at the time of calculation.

Operating  Hazards The oil and gas business  involves certain  operating hazards
such as well  blowouts,  craterings,  explosions,  uncontrollable  flows of oil,
natural gas or well fluids, fires, formations with abnormal pressures,  pipeline
ruptures or spills,  pollution,  releases  of toxic gas and other  environmental
hazards  and  risks,  any of which  could  result in  substantial  losses to the
Company. In addition,  the Company may be liable for environmental damage caused
by  previous  owners of  properties  purchased  or leased by the  Company.  As a
result, substantial liabilities to third parties or governmental agencies may be
incurred, the payment of which could reduce or eliminate the funds available for
acquisitions,  development,  exploration  or result  in  losses to the  Company.
Although the Company is not fully insured  against all  environmental  and other
risks,  it maintains  insurance  coverage  which it believes is customary in the
industry.

Forward-Looking Statements
- --------------------------

This Form 10-KSB  includes  "forward-looking  statements"  within the meaning of
Section 27A of the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the  "Securities  Act"),
and  Section  21E of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  as  amended  (the
"Exchange  Act").  All  statements  other than  statements  of  historical  fact
included in this Form 10-KSB,  including,  without  limitation,  the  statements
under "Item 1. Description of Business",  "Item 6.  Management's  Discussion and
Analysis  or  Plan  of  Operation",  and  Note 2 to the  Consolidated  Financial
Statements  located elsewhere herein regarding the Company's  financial position
and liquidity,  the amount of and its ability to make debt service payments, its

                                       8
<PAGE>


strategies,  financial  instruments,  and  other  matters,  are  forward-looking
statements.  Although the Company  believes that the  expectations  reflected in
such  forward-looking  statements are reasonable,  it can give no assurance that
such expectations will prove to have been correct.  Important factors that could
cause actual results to differ  materially from the Company's  expectations  are
disclosed in this Form 10-KSB in conjunction with the forward-looking statements
included in this Form 10-KSB.

The Company's  intentions  and  expectations  described in this Form 10-KSB with
respect to possible  development  activities  concerning  properties in which it
holds interests may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These statements
are made based on management's  current  assessment of the development merits of
the particular property in light of the geological  information available at the
time and  based on the  Company's  relative  interest  in the  property  and its
estimate of its share of the development cost. Subsequently obtained information
concerning  the  merits  of any  property,  as  well  as  changes  in  estimated
development   costs  and  ownership   interest,   may  result  in  revisions  to
management's  expectations  and intentions  and, thus, the Company may alter its
plans regarding these development activities. Furthermore,  circumstances beyond
the Company's  control may cause such  prospects to be  eliminated  from further
consideration as development prospects.

Other
- -----

The oil and gas business is not generally  seasonal in nature,  although unusual
weather  extremes for extended  periods may increase or decrease  demand for oil
and natural gas products temporarily. Additionally, catastrophic events, such as
hurricanes or other supply disruptions, may also temporarily increase the demand
for oil and gas supplies. Such events and their impacts on oil and gas commodity
prices may cause fluctuations in quarterly or even annual revenues and earnings.

Basic's  offices  are located at 633  Seventeenth  Street,  Suite 1670,  Denver,
Colorado 80202 (telephone number: 303-294-9525).  At the end of its fiscal year,
the Company had nine employees:  four at its main office in Denver, Colorado and
five at its subsidiary's field office in Bruni, Texas,  located forty-five miles
east, southeast of Laredo, Texas. The Company expects to add a clerical position
at its Denver office in the near future.

                                     ITEM 2
                             DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY

Producing Properties:  Locations and Impact As of March 31, 1998, Basic owned an
interest in 83 oil wells and 19 gas wells.  Basic currently operates 60 wells in
five states: North Dakota, Montana,  Colorado, Texas and Wyoming. These operated
wells contributed  approximately 74 percent of Basic's total liquid  hydrocarbon
sales and  approximately  55 percent of total gas sales in the year ended  March
31, 1998. The majority of Basic's  operated  liquid  reserves are located in the
Williston  basin of North  Dakota  and  Montana  and in south  Texas  while  the
majority  of  Basic's   operated  gas   reserves   are  located  in   Colorado's
Denver-Julesburg  basin.  Substantially all producing  properties are encumbered
and used to secure bank debt.


                                       9
<PAGE>


                                    Producing Property
                                    ------------------

                          Gross Wells               Net Wells (%)
                        ---------------           ----------------
                         Oil       Gas             Oil       Gas
                         ---       ---             ---       ---
         Colorado          0         4             0.00      2.40
         Kansas            3         0             0.62      0.00
         Louisiana         3         8              .47       .28
         Montana          15         0            11.86      0.00
         New Mexico        0         5             0.00      0.98
         North Dakota     26         0            13.07      0.00
         Oklahoma          2         1             0.50      0.31
         Texas            32         1            26.19      0.23
         Wyoming           2         0             0.35      0.00
                        ----        --            -----      ----
         Total            83        19            53.06      4.20

Reserves At March 31, 1998,  the discounted  present value of Basic's  estimated
proved reserves was approximately  $1,324,000 reflecting a 57% decrease from the
previous year's  reserves of $3,082,000.  This decrease was primarily the result
of lower oil prices at March 31, 1998 compared to the previous  year, and actual
production  of forecast  reserves.  The analysis of Basic's oil and gas reserves
and the financial  analysis of the oil and gas properties are in Notes 12 to the
Consolidated Financial Statements.

Leasehold  Acreage The Company  leases the rights to explore for and produce oil
and gas from mineral  owners.  Leases  (quantified  in acres) expire after their
primary term unless oil or gas production is established.  Prior to establishing
production, leases are considered undeveloped.  After production is established,
leases are  considered  developed or  "held-by-production."  Basic's  acreage is
comprised of developed and undeveloped acreage.  Typically,  undeveloped acreage
is considered an indication of the Company's "raw material" and, therefore,  its
potential to replace reserves in the future. Basic's strategy is the acquisition
of  producing  properties.  Given this  strategy,  there is no need for Basic to
amass  undeveloped  acreage blocks.  As a result,  Basic has a minimal amount of
undeveloped acreage relative to exploration companies.  Management believes this
is a reflection  of the  Company's  strategy  rather than its ability to replace
reserves.

                                       10
<PAGE>



     Acreage                   Developed Acreage        Undeveloped Acreage
     -------                   -----------------        -------------------
                               Gross         Net         Gross         Net
                               -----         ---         -----         ---
     Colorado                    640          384            0            0
     Kansas                      800          130            0            0
     Louisiana                 1,925          110            0            0
     Montana                   2,720        2,029        2,600          826
     New Mexico                  800          156            0            0
     North Dakota              5,612        2,445        2,111          511
     Oklahoma                    320           85            0            0
     Texas                     3,166        2,311           80           65
     Wyoming                     634          242        1,016          486
                              ------       ------       ------       ------
     Total                    16,617        7,892        5,807        1,888
                              ======       ======       ======       ======


Field  Service  Equipment At March 31, 1998,  the  Company's  subsidiary,  Basic
Petroleum Services,  Inc., owned a trailer house/field office, a shallow pulling
rig, a large winch truck, a skid-mounted  cementing unit, four pickup trucks and
six ancillary service vehicles. None of the vehicles are encumbered.

Office Lease The Company  currently  leases  approximately  3,000 square feet of
office space in downtown Denver for its corporate  headquarters.  The lease term
expires April 30, 1999.

                                     ITEM 3
                                LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

None.

                                     ITEM 4
                         SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE
                               OF SECURITY HOLDERS

No matter  was  submitted  to a vote of Basic's  shareholders  during the fiscal
quarter ended March 31, 1998.






                           (Intentionally left blank)

                                       11
<PAGE>


Part II
- -------


                                     ITEM 5
                            MARKET FOR COMMON EQUITY
                         AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

Basic's  common stock is traded in the  over-the-counter  market.  The following
table sets  forth the range of high and low bid  prices for each  quarter of the
last two fiscal years. Prices are obtained from National Quotation Bureau, LLC.

                                                  High             Low
                                                --------          -----
Year Ended March 31, 1997
- -------------------------

First Quarter...............................    $ .0312          $ .0312
Second Quarter..............................      .0500            .0312
Third Quarter...............................      .0900            .0500
Fourth Quarter..............................      .0900            .0700

Year Ended March 31, 1998
- -------------------------

First Quarter...............................    $ .0700          $ .0700
Second Quarter..............................      .0800            .0700
Third Quarter...............................      .1000            .0800
Fourth Quarter..............................      .1100            .0700


The bid price on June 15, 1998 was $0.03.  Transactions on the  over-the-counter
market reflect inter-dealer quotations, without adjustments for retail mark-ups,
mark-downs or commissions to the broker-dealer and may not necessarily represent
actual transactions.

As of March 31, 1998,  Basic had  approximately  2,470  shareholders  of record.
Management  estimates there are over 5,000  beneficial  owners.  Basic has never
paid a cash  dividend on its common stock.  Any future  dividend on common stock
will be at the  discretion of the Board of Directors and will be dependent  upon
the Company's earnings,  financial  condition,  and other factors. The Company's
Board  of  Directors  presently  has  no  plans  to  pay  any  dividends  in the
foreseeable future.

                                       12
<PAGE>


                                     ITEM 6
                      MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
                              OR PLAN OF OPERATION

Going  Concern and  Liquidity  Outlook The Company's  financial  statements  are
presented on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets
and the  satisfaction  of  liabilities  in the normal  course of  business.  The
Company  has  incurred a net loss for the year ended  March 31,  1998 due to the
fall of oil prices during the year,  incurred a ceiling limitation  writedown of
$870,000 on its reserves and has a working capital deficit.  These factors raise
substantial  doubt about the Company's  ability to continue as a going  concern.
The Company is seeking to  restructure  its debt and sell certain assets to meet
working capital demands.

The financial  statements do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible
future effects on the classification of assets or the amounts and classification
of  liabilities  that may result from the  possible  inability of the Company to
continue as a going concern

The  Company's  primary  source of funding is the net cash flow from the sale of
its oil and gas  production.  The  profitability  and cash flow generated by the
Company's  operations  in any  particular  accounting  period  will be  directly
related  to:  (a) the  volume of oil and gas  produced  and then  sold,  (b) the
average realized prices for oil and gas sold, and (c) lifting costs.

The Company's  cash flow has been  adversely  affected by plummeting oil prices.
Given the Company's  projected  production,  and  continued low oil prices,  the
Company  will  have to  severely  curtail  both  its  field  activities  and its
administrative expenses.

Furthermore,  under the  Company's  loan  agreement,  Basic is expected to begin
making  scheduled  principal  payments  on its RLOC in the amount of $30,000 per
month beginning in August 1998.  Management is currently in discussions with its
bank to both adjust its loan covenants and postpone scheduled principal payments
and/or re-structure its loan.

The Company holds a number of marginal  wells,  which have been shut down due to
low oil prices.  Basic intends to  accelerate  its efforts to plug or sell these
wells in the coming fiscal year.  Management  believes that the salvage value of
the associated equipment,  net of plugging costs, will have a positive impact on
the Company's cash flow.

The Company holds several  major value  properties  (relative to the size of its
existing  debt).  If all other efforts fail, and oil prices do not recover,  the
Company may chose to sell one or several of these  properties in order to reduce
or extinguish its existing debt.

Even if the Company is successful in any or all of these  efforts,  there can be
no  assurance  that the Company  will be able to  continue to meet its  existing
obligations as they become due in fiscal year 1999. Additionally,  if oil prices
drop further,  the Company may incur  further  ceiling test  limitations  and be
required to write down additional assets.

                                       13
<PAGE>


Capital Structure and Liquidity
- -------------------------------

Financing  The Company  recognizes  the  importance  of  developing  its capital
resource base in order to pursue its objectives. However, subsequent to its last
public  offering in 1980,  debt  financing  has been the sole source of external
funding.

Bank Debt On December 13, 1996,  Norwest Bank Colorado,  N.A. (the Bank) and the
Company  modified the  Company's  loan  agreement to set the  borrowing  base to
$1,200,000  effective  December 13, 1996.  This  modification  also extended the
maturity date of the Declining  Balance,  Revolving  Line of Credit  (DBRLOC) to
April 1, 2000 and the  maturity  date of the  hedging  Revolving  Line of Credit
(RLOC) to December 31, 1998. All other terms and conditions remain in full force
and effect.  Information  concerning the Company's debt appears in Note 4 to the
Consolidated Financial Statements.

Hedging  Hedging  techniques are  traditionally  used to limit exposure to price
fluctuations.  Given the  financial  leverage  created  by its bank debt and the
magnitude  of  principal  payments  due in  fiscal  1997  and  1998,  management
recognized that fluctuations in crude oil prices could have a negative impact on
the Company's financial affairs. Accordingly, the Company entered futures and/or
options contracts in order to hedge this exposure.  Currently,  the Company uses
options,  rather than futures  contracts,  in order to participate more fully if
prices were to again  escalate.  The  Company did not hedge any gas  production.
Information concerning the Company's hedging activities appears in Note 1 to the
Consolidated Financial Statements.

Liquidity The Company's  current  ratio  decreased  from 1.2:1 at March 31, 1997
(1997) to .7:1 at March 31, 1998 (1998).  A specific Bank covenant  requires the
maintenance of a current ratio of 1:1,  after  adjustment for the removal of the
current  portion of  long-term  debt.  At March 31,  1998,  the  Company  was in
compliance  with all Bank  covenants and the Company's  current ratio was 1:1 as
calculated per the provisions of the covenants.

During the fiscal year just ended,  current assets decreased $242,000 (33%) from
$723,000 at 1997 to $481,000 at 1998 while  current  liabilities  increased  20%
from  $585,000 at 1997 to $702,000 at 1998.  Cash  decreased  $45,000 (46%) from
$97,000 at 1997 to $52,000 at 1998.

Other At March 31, 1998, the Company had a deferred tax asset of $3,906,000 that
had a 100% valuation allowance recorded to reflect management's  evaluation that
it is more  likely  than not  that all of the  deferred  tax  asset  will not be
realized.

Impact of  Inflation  Inflation  has not had a great  impact on the  Company  in
recent  years  because of the  relatively  low rates of  inflation in the United
States.

                                       14
<PAGE>


Capital Resources
- -----------------

Overview In addition to the Company's routine and predictable production-related
costs,  its  general  and   administrative   expenses  and  its  debt  repayment
requirements,   the  Company  requires  capital  to  fund  the  development  and
enhancement  of  recently  acquired  properties  and the  capital  to  fund  the
acquisition of additional  properties.  Given the current price of the Company's
stock,  management  believes it would be  difficult to raise  additional  equity
capital.  Furthermore,  given the  proximity  of the  existing  bank debt to its
borrowing base ceiling,  the Company has little  available  debt  capacity.  The
Company  intends to postpone  the  acquisition  and  development  of  additional
properties.  Management  intends to fund the Company's  immediate needs with its
internally-generated cash flow from operations.

Other  Commitments  As of June 13,  1998,  the  Company  has no  obligations  to
purchase  or sell any of its oil and gas  properties  nor any other  commitments
beyond its office lease.

Results of Operations
- ---------------------

1998 Compared with 1997

Overview Operations in the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998 (1998) resulted in a
net loss of  $1,111,000  compared to net income of $109,000  for the fiscal year
ended  March  31,  1997  (1997).  The  primary  source of the loss was a ceiling
limitation  charge of  $870,000  recorded  in 1998.  Cash Flows  from  Operating
Activities  decreased  25% from  $544,000  in 1997 to  $406,000  in  1998.  This
decrease in cash flow was primarily a result of reducing the Company's payables,
accrued liabilities and loss from operations.

Revenues Oil and gas sales revenue  decreased  $591,000 (20%) over 1997. Of this
amount,  -$167,000  (-28%) was  attributable  to decreases in oil production and
- -$331,000 (56%) was attributable to declining oil prices. Furthermore,  -$72,000
(-12%)  was  attributable  to gas  volume  decreases  while  -$20,000  (4%)  was
attributable to declining gas prices.

Volumes and Prices Total liquid production decreased 6%, from 133,500 barrels in
1997 to 125,000  barrels in 1998,  while the average price per barrel  decreased
19% from $19.56 in 1997 to $16.91 in 1998.  Total gas production  decreased 18%,
from  202,000  MCF in 1997 to  166,000  MCF in 1998,  while  the  price  per MCF
decreased  14%, from $1.98 in 1997 to $1.86 in 1998.  The decrease in liquid and
gas production was due to normal production decline.

Expenses Oil and gas production  expense and production taxes decreased $240,000
(11%)  in 1998  over  1997.  The  majority  of the  decrease  was in oil and gas
production  expense,  which  declined due to fewer special well repairs in 1998.
The overall lifting cost per equivalent  barrel decreased 3% from $12.75 in 1997
to $12.40 in 1998 due  primarily  to the  decrease  in well  repairs and volumes
produced.

                                       15
<PAGE>


A "ceiling  limitation  test"  created a $870,000  write-down  of the "full cost
pool"  in  1998.  The  Company   capitalizes  all  costs   associated  with  the
acquisition,  exploration and development of oil and gas property under the full
cost method of accounting  for its oil and gas  activity.  The book value of the
"full cost pool" at March 31,  1998 was  $2,213,000.  This amount  exceeded  the
present value (using a 10% discount factor) of estimated future net revenue from
proved  reserves at March 31, 1998.  The Company was required to write down this
excess.

Depletion  expense per  equivalent  barrel  increased  12% from $3.09 in 1997 to
$3.50 in 1998,  primarily because of the relatively fewer equivalent  barrels of
reserves,  determined  in  accordance  with SEC  regulations.  This  decrease in
reserves,  calculated in accordance with SEC regulations, was primarily due to a
decline in oil price at March 31, 1998. The increased depletion cost per barrel,
contributed to actual  depreciation  and depletion  expense  increase of $16,000
(3%) in 1998 from 1997 even though fewer equivalent  barrels were produced.  The
percentage of reserves  depleted in the fiscal year just ended,  increased  from
18% in 1997 to 26% in  1998.  Once  again,  this  increase  is the  result  of a
decrease in reserves, determined in accordance with SEC regulations, as affected
by oil price, rather than an increase in production.

Net general and administrative  expense increased $7,000 (4%) in 1998 from 1997.
This increase is primarily attributable to general inflation. As a result of the
overall increase, and in conjunction with decreased production volumes,  general
and administrative expense per equivalent barrel increased from $1.02 in 1997 to
$1.16 in 1998.

Other  Income/(Expense)  Other  Income/(Expense)  decreased  $24,000 (-34%) from
($70,000) in 1997 to ($46,000)  in 1998.  This  decrease was the result of lower
interest expense combined with higher interest and other income.
 .










                           (Intentionally left blank)


                                       16
<PAGE>


                         Selected Financial Information
                         ------------------------------

The following table shows selected  financial  information and averages for each
of the three prior years in the period ended March 31.

                                                    1998       1997       1996
                                                    ----       ----       ----
Production:
         Oil (barrels) .........................   125,000    133,500    150,000
         Gas (mcf) .............................   166,000    202,000    214,000
Revenue: (in thousands)
         Oil ...................................  $  2,113   $  2,611   $  2,464
         Gas ...................................       309        402        349
                                                  --------   --------   --------
         Total .................................     2,422      3,013      2,813
Less: total production expense (in thousands)(1)     1,891      2,131      2,015
                                                  --------   --------   --------

Gross profit (in thousands) ....................  $    531   $    882   $    798
                                                  ========   ========   ========

Write down of oil & gas properties .............  $    870       --         --
Depletion expense (in thousands) ...............  $    534   $    517   $    533
General & administrative expense
         (in thousands) ........................  $    177   $    170   $    151

Average sales price:
         Oil (per barrel) ......................  $  16.91   $  19.56   $  16.43
         Gas (per mcf) .........................      1.86       1.98       1.63
Average production expense(2) ..................     12.40      12.75      10.85
Average gross profit(3) ........................      3.47       5.28       4.30
Average depletion expense(4) ...................      3.50       3.09       2.87
Average general & admin. expense(5) ............      1.16       1.02        .81

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

1    Operating costs, including production tax
2    Operating costs,  including production tax, per equivalent barrel (6 mcf of
     gas is equivalent to 1 barrel of oil)
3    Gross profit per equivalent  barrel (6 mcf of gas is equivalent to 1 barrel
     of oil)
4    Depletion  expense per  equivalent  barrel (6 mcf of gas is equivalent to 1
     barrel of oil)
5    General &  administrative  expense per  equivalent  barrel (6 mcf of gas is
     equivalent to 1 barrel of oil)

                                       17
<PAGE>


Year 2000
- ---------

The Company has  conducted a  comprehensive  review of its  computer  systems to
identify  the  systems  that  could be  affected  by the Year 2000  issue and is
developing an implementation  plan to resolve the issue. The "Year 2000" problem
is the result of computer  programs  being  written using two digits rather than
four to define the  applicable  year.  Any of the  Company's  programs that have
time-sensitive  software may recognize a date using "00" as the year 1900 rather
than  the  year  2000.   This  could  result  in  a  major  system   failure  or
miscalculations.  The Company  presently  believes that, with  modifications  to
existing software and converting to new software, the Year 2000 problem will not
pose significant  operational  problems for the Company's computer systems as so
modified and converted.  However,  if such modifications and conversions are not
timely  completed,  the Year  2000  problem  may have a  material  impact on the
operations  of the  Company.  The  Company  does not  believe  that the costs of
modifications or conversion will have a material effect.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements
- --------------------------------

In June 1997,  the  Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board issued  Statement of
Financial  Accounting  Standards No. 130, Reporting  Comprehensive  Income (SFAS
130),  which  establishes  standards for reporting and display of  comprehensive
income, its components and accumulated balances. Comprehensive income is defined
to include all changes in equity  except those  resulting  from  investments  by
owners and distributions to owners.  Among other disclosures,  SFAS 130 requires
that all items that are  required  to be  recognized  under  current  accounting
standards  as  components  of  comprehensive  income be  reported in a financial
statement  that is  displayed  with  the  same  prominence  as  other  financial
statements.

Also, in June 1997, FASB issued SFAS No. 131,  "Disclosures about Segments of an
Enterprise and Related  Information"  which  supersedes  SFAS No.14,  "Financial
Reporting  for  Segments  of a Business  Enterprise."  SFAS No. 131  establishes
standards for the way that public companies report  information  about operating
segments in annual  financial  statements  and  requires  reporting  of selected
information about operating  segments in interim financial  statements issued to
the public. It also establishes standards for disclosures regarding products and
services,  geographic areas and major customers.  SFAS No. 131 defines operating
segments as components of a company about which separate  financial  information
is available that is evaluated  regularly by the chief operating  decision maker
in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance.

SFAS 130 and 131 are effective for financial  statements  for periods  beginning
after December 15, 1997 and requires  comparative  information for earlier years
to be restated. Because of the recent issuance of the standards,  management has
been unable to fully  evaluate  the impact,  if any, the  standards  may have on
future  financial  statement  disclosures.  Results of operations  and financial
position, however, will be unaffected by implementation of these standards.

                                       18
<PAGE>


In February 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 132,  "Employers"  Disclosures  about
Pensions and Other  Postretirement  Benefits" which  standardizes the disclosure
requirements for pensions and Other Benefits" which  standardizes the disclosure
requirements  for  pensions  and  other  postretirement  benefits  and  requires
additional  information on changes in the benefit obligations and fair values of
plan assets that will facilitate  financial analysis.  SFAS No. 132 is effective
for years beginning after December 15, 1997 and requires comparative information
for  earlier  years to be  restated,  unless  such  information  is not  readily
available.  Management  believes  the  adoption of this  statement  will have no
material impact on the Company's financial statements.

















                           (Intentionally left blank)




                                       19
<PAGE>


                        Basic Earth Science Systems, Inc.

                                Table of Contents

                        Consolidated Financial Statements
                             and Accompanying Notes

                             March 31, 1998 and 1997

                                                                        Page No.
                                                                        --------

Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants - BDO Seidman, LLP.        21

Consolidated Balance Sheet............................................   22 - 23

Consolidated Statements of Operations.................................        24

Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity.......................        25

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.................................        26

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements............................   27 - 39



                                       20
<PAGE>


                                     ITEM 7
                              FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


REPORT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS


To the Stockholders and Board of Directors
Basic Earth Science Systems, Inc.
Denver, Colorado

We have  audited the  accompanying  consolidated  balance  sheets of Basic Earth
Science  Systems,  Inc. and  subsidiaries as of March 31, 1998 and 1997, and the
related consolidated  statements of operations,  shareholders'  equity, and cash
flows for the years ended March 31, 1998 and 1997.  These  financial  statements
are the  responsibility of the Company's  management.  Our  responsibility is to
express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  generally   accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  An audit also includes
assessing the  accounting  principles  used and  significant  estimates  made by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the consolidated  financial statements referred to above present
fairly, in all material respects,  the financial position of Basic Earth Science
Systems, Inc. and subsidiaries as of March 31, 1998 and 1997, and the results of
their  operations  and their cash flows for the years  ended  March 31, 1998 and
1997, in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

The  accompanying  financial  statements  have been  prepared  assuming that the
Company  will  continue  as a  going  concern.  As  discussed  in  Note 2 to the
financial  statements,  the Company  has  incurred a net loss for the year ended
March 31,  1998,  incurred  a  writedown  of its oil and gas  properties  due to
ceiling  limitations  and  is in a  negative  working  capital  position.  These
conditions  raise  substantial  doubt  about its  ability to continue as a going
concern.  Management's  plans in regard to these  matters are also  described in
Note 2. The  financial  statements  do not  include any  adjustments  that might
result from the outcome of this uncertainty.


                                            BDO SEIDMAN, LLP

Denver, Colorado
June 5, 1998

                                       21

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                Basic Earth Science Systems, Inc.

                                   Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                     March 31, 1998 and 1997


Assets
- ------

                                                                   1998                1997
                                                               ------------        ------------

Current assets:
<S>                                                            <C>                 <C>         
         Cash and cash equivalents                             $     52,000        $     97,000
         Accounts receivable:
                  Oil and gas sales                                 160,000             255,000
                  Joint interest and other receivables               97,000             128,000
                  Allowance for doubtful accounts                   (54,000)            (40,000)
         Other current assets                                       226,000             283,000
                                                               ------------        ------------

                  Total current assets                              481,000             723,000
                                                               ------------        ------------




Property and equipment:
         Oil and gas properties (full cost method)               32,559,000          32,171,000
Furniture, fixtures and equipment                                   450,000             445,000
                                                               ------------        ------------

                                                                 33,009,000          32,616,000
Accumulated depreciation                                           (374,000)           (357,000)
Accumulated depletion - FCP (includes cumulative ceiling
         limitation charges of $14,961,000)                     (31,217,000)        (29,812,000)
                                                               ------------        ------------

Net property and equipment                                        1,418,000           2,447,000
Other noncurrent assets                                              85,000              75,000
                                                               ------------        ------------

         Total noncurrent assets                                  1,503,000           2,522,000
                                                               ------------        ------------

Total assets                                                   $  1,984,000        $  3,245,000
                                                               ============        ============


                        See accompanying report of independent certified
                            public accounts and notes to consolidated
                                      financial statements.

                                               22
</TABLE>


<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                           Basic Earth Science Systems, Inc.

                              Consolidated Balance Sheets

                                March 31, 1998 and 1997


Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity
- ------------------------------------

                                                            1998               1997
                                                        ------------       ------------


Current liabilities:
<S>                                                     <C>                <C>         
         Accounts payable                               $    324,000       $    466,000
         Accrued liabilities                                 144,000            119,000
         Current portion of long-term debt                   234,000               --
                                                        ------------       ------------

                  Total current liabilities                  702,000            585,000
                                                        ------------       ------------

Long-term debt                                               390,000            649,000
                                                        ------------       ------------

Commitments

Shareholders' equity:
         Preferred stock, $.001 par value
                  Authorized - 3,000,000 shares
                  Issued - 0 shares                             --                 --
         Common stock, $.001 par value
                  Authorized - 32,000,000 shares
                  Issued - 16,879,752 shares at
                   March 31, 1998 and 1997                    17,000             17,000
         Additional paid-in capital                       22,692,000         22,692,000
         Treasury stock (349,265 shares at March
           31, 1998, 299,265 shares at March 31,
           1997); at cost                                    (23,000)           (15,000)
         Accumulated deficit                             (21,794,000)       (20,683,000)
                                                        ------------       ------------

Total shareholders' equity                                   892,000          2,201,000

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity              $  1,984,000       $  3,245,000
                                                        ============       ============


                   See accompanying report of independent certified
                       public accounts and notes to consolidated
                                 financial statements.

                                          23
</TABLE>

<PAGE>


                        Basic Earth Science Systems, Inc.
                      Consolidated Statements of Operations


                                                       Years Ended March 31,
                                                   ----------------------------

                                                       1998            1997
                                                   ------------    ------------
Revenues:
      Oil and gas sales                            $  2,422,000    $  3,013,000
      Well service revenue                               28,000          32,000
                                                   ------------    ------------

      Total revenues                                  2,450,000       3,045,000
                                                   ------------    ------------

Expenses:
      Oil and gas production                          1,650,000       1,846,000
      Production tax                                    241,000         285,000
      Well servicing expenses                            30,000          31,000
      Writedown of oil and gas properties               870,000            --
      Depreciation, depletion and amortization          547,000         534,000
      General and administrative                        177,000         170,000
                                                   ------------    ------------

      Total expenses                                  3,515,000       2,866,000
                                                   ------------    ------------

Income (loss) from operations                        (1,065,000)        179,000
                                                   ------------    ------------

Other Income (Expense):
      Interest and other income                          13,000          17,000
      Interest expense                                  (59,000)        (87,000)
                                                   ------------    ------------

      Total other expense                               (46,000)        (70,000)
                                                   ------------    ------------

Net income (loss)                                  $ (1,111,000)   $    109,000
                                                   ============    ============

Basic and diluted weighted average
   number of shares outstanding                      16,553,884      16,580,487
                                                   ============    ============

Basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share        $      (.067)   $       .007
                                                   ============    ============


                See accompanying report of independent certified
                    public accounts and notes to consolidated
                              financial statements.

                                       24

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                           Basic Earth Science Systems, Inc.

                                   Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity

                                          Years ended March 31, 1998 and 1997


                                                              
                                      Common stock            Additional          Treasury stock           
                              ---------------------------      paid-in     ----------------------------    Accumulated
                                 Shares       Par value        capital        Shares          Amount         deficit
                              ------------   ------------   ------------   ------------    ------------    ------------

<S>                           <C>           <C>            <C>              <C>           <C>             <C>          
Balance, April 1, 1996          16,879,752   $     17,000   $ 22,692,000       (299,265)   $    (15,000)   $(20,792,000)

Net income                            --             --             --             --              --           109,000
                              ------------   ------------   ------------   ------------    ------------    ------------

Balance, March 31, 1997         16,879,752         17,000     22,692,000       (299,265)        (15,000)    (20,683,000)

Purchase of treasury stock            --             --             --          (90,000)        (10,000)           --

Sale of treasury stock                --             --             --           40,000           2,000            --

Net loss                              --             --             --             --              --        (1,111,000)
                              ------------   ------------   ------------   ------------    ------------    ------------

Balance, March 31, 1998         16,879,752   $     17,000   $ 22,692,000       (349,265)   $    (23,000)   $(21,794,000)
                              ============   ============   ============   ============    ============    ============

                                    See accompanying report of independent certified
                                        public accounts and notes to consolidated
                                                  financial statements.


                                                            25
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                               Basic Earth Science Systems, Inc.
                             Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows


                                                                     Years Ended March 31,
                                                               -------------------------------
                                                                   1998                1997
                                                               -----------         -----------

Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents:

Cash flows from operating activities:
<S>                                                            <C>                 <C>        
      Net income (loss)                                        $(1,111,000)        $   109,000
      Adjustments to reconcile net income to
       net cash provided by operating activities:
        Writedown of oil and gas properties                        870,000                --
        Depreciation, depletion and amortization                   547,000             534,000
        Gain on sale of assets                                        --                (6,000)
        Bad debt expense                                            14,000                --
        Change in current assets and current liabilities:
          Accounts receivable                                      126,000             134,000
          Other current assets                                      57,000            (136,000)
          Accounts payable and accrued liabilities                (142,000)           (114,000)
          Changes in other assets                                  (10,000)              4,000
          Changes in other liabilities                              41,000                --
          Other                                                     14,000              19,000
                                                               -----------         -----------

          Net cash provided by operating activities                406,000             544,000
                                                               -----------         -----------

Cash flows from investing activities:
      Capital expenditures:
          Oil and gas properties                                  (597,000)           (364,000)
          Support equipment                                        (15,000)            (13,000)
      Proceeds from sale of support equipment                        1,000               7,000
      Proceeds from sale of oil and gas properties                 209,000                --
                                                               -----------         -----------

          Net cash used in investing activities                   (402,000)           (370,000)
                                                               -----------         -----------

Cash flows from financing activities:
      Principal payments on long-term debt                        (265,000)           (371,000)
      Proceeds from notes payable                                  224,000             202,000
      Purchase of treasury stock                                   (10,000)               --
      Proceeds from sale of treasury stock                           2,000                --
                                                               -----------         -----------

          Net cash used in financing activities                    (49,000)           (169,000)
                                                               -----------         -----------

Cash and cash equivalents:
      Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents             (45,000)              5,000
      Balance, beginning of year                                    97,000              92,000
                                                               -----------         -----------

      Balance, end of year                                     $    52,000         $    97,000
                                                               ===========         ===========


Supplemental disclosure of cash flow
      information:
      Cash paid for interest                                   $    59,000         $    87,000

                 See accompanying report of independent certified public
                      accounts and notes to consolidated financial
                                       statements.

                                           26
</TABLE>

<PAGE>


                        Basic Earth Science Systems, Inc.
                   Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements


1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
   ------------------------------------------

Principles of Consolidation The consolidated  financial  statements  include the
accounts of Basic Earth  Science  Systems,  Inc.  (Basic or the Company) and its
wholly-owned   subsidiaries.   All   significant   intercompany   accounts   and
transactions have been eliminated.

Oil and Gas Producing  Activity Basic follows the full cost method of accounting
for its oil and  gas  activity.  Accordingly,  all  costs  associated  with  the
acquisition,   exploration  and  development  of  oil  and  gas  properties  are
capitalized.  Should net oil and gas property cost exceed an amount equal to the
present value (using a 10% discount factor) of estimated future net revenue from
proved reserves,  considering  related income tax effects,  as prescribed by the
Securities and Exchange  Commission's ceiling limitation,  the excess is charged
to expense during the period in which the excess occurs.  The Company incurred a
ceiling  limitation  charge of $870,000 during the year ended March 31, 1998, as
the carrying value of the oil and gas properties exceeded the underlying reserve
valuations.  Basic did not incur a ceiling  limitation  charge  during  the year
ended March 31, 1997.

If a  significant  portion of Basic's oil and gas  reserves  are sold, a gain or
loss  would be  recognized;  otherwise,  proceeds  from  sales are  applied as a
reduction of oil and gas properties. In the years ended March 31, 1998 and 1997,
Basic reduced the carrying  value of oil and gas properties for $209,000 and $0,
respectively,  as a result of the sale of its  interest  in certain  oil and gas
properties.

The majority of Basic's  operated  liquid  reserves are located in the Williston
basin of North Dakota and Montana and in south Texas and the majority of Basic's
operated gas reserves are located in Colorado's Denver-Julesburg basin.

All capitalized cost is depleted on a composite units-of-production method based
on estimated proved reserves attributable to the oil and gas properties owned by
Basic. Depletion per equivalent barrel of production was $3.50 and $3.09 for the
years ended March 31, 1998 and 1997, respectively.

Use of Estimates The  preparation  of financial  statements  in conformity  with
generally accepted  accounting  principles requires management to make estimates
and  assumptions  that affect the reported  amounts of assets and liabilities at
the date of the financial  statements  and the reported  amounts of revenues and
expenses  during the reporting  period.  Actual  results could differ from those
estimates.  There are many factors,  including global events, that may influence
the production,  processing,  marketing,  and valuation of crude oil and natural
gas. A reduction  in the  valuation  of oil and gas  properties  resulting  from
declining  prices or  production  could  adversely  impact  depletion  rates and
ceiling test limitations.

                                       27
<PAGE>


Support  Equipment and Other Support equipment and other equipment are stated at
cost.  Depreciation  of support  equipment and other  property is computed using
various methods over periods ranging from five to seven years.

Fair Value of Financial  Instruments  Unless  otherwise  specified,  the Company
believes the carrying  value of financial  instruments  approximates  their fair
value.

Long-Term Assets The Company applies Statement of Financial Accounting Standards
No. 121,  "Accounting for the Impairment of Long-Lived  Assets" ("SFAS No. 121")
in  evaluating  long-lived  assets for possible  equipment.  Under SFAS No. 121,
long-lived  assets and  certain  intangibles  are  reported  at the lower of the
carrying amount or their estimated recoverable amounts.

Net Income  (Loss) Per Share Through  March 31, 1997,  the Company  followed the
provisions of Accounting  Principles  Board Opinion (APB) No. 15,  "Earnings Per
Share".  Effective  for the year ended March 31, 1998,  the Company  implemented
Statement  of  Financial  Accounting  Standards  (SFAS) No. 128,  "Earnings  Per
Share".  SFAS No. 128  provides  for the  calculation  of "Basic" and  "Diluted"
earnings  per share.  Basic  earnings  per share  includes  no  dilution  and is
computed by dividing  income  available to common  stockholders  by the weighted
average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per
share  reflects the  potential  dilution of  securities  that could share in the
earnings of an entity,  similar to fully  diluted  earnings  per share.  In loss
periods,  dilutive common  equivalent shares are excluded as the effect would be
anti-dilutive. Basic and diluted earnings per share are the same for all periods
presented.

Options to  purchase  440,000  shares of common  stock were not  included in the
computation of diluted EPS because their effect was  anti-dilutive  for the year
ended March 31, 1998.

Diluted  earnings per share for the year ended March 31, 1997 include the effect
of 34,375  dilutive  potential  common  shares on 300,000  options that had been
granted to directors and employees.

Stock Option Plans The Company applies  Accounting  Principles Board Opinion 25,
"Accounting  for Stock  Issued  to  Employees,"  (APB  Opinion  25) and  related
Interpretations  in accounting for all stock option plans. Under APB Opinion 25,
no compensation cost has been recognized for stock options granted as the option
price equals or exceeds the market price of the  underlying  common stock on the
date of grant.

                                       28
<PAGE>


Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, "Accounting for Stock-Based
Compensation,"  (SFAS  No.  123)  requires  the  Company  to  provide  pro forma
information regarding net income as if compensation cost for the Company's stock
option plans had been  determined in accordance with the fair value based method
prescribed in SFAS No. 123.

Cash and Cash  Equivalents For purposes of the  Consolidated  Balance Sheets and
Statements of Cash Flows,  Basic considers all highly liquid  investments with a
maturity  of ninety  days or less when  purchased  to be cash  equivalents.  The
carrying amount of cash equivalents approximates fair value because of the short
maturity of those instruments.

Hedging  Hedging  techniques are  traditionally  used to limit exposure to price
fluctuations. Under futures contracts, the Company receives or makes payments to
the New York  Mercantile  Exchange  (NYMEX) via a trading  account  based on the
differential  between  the price at which any  given  contract  was sold and the
price at which  it was  bought  back  (the  closing  price).  Under  put  option
contracts, the Company would receive payments from NYMEX if the closing price is
greater than the floor price at which the put option was purchased.

The Company has favored  options,  rather than  futures  contracts,  in order to
participate  more  fully if  prices  were to  again  escalate.  Gains or  losses
attributable  to such  contracts  that  hedge  specific  future  deliveries  are
deferred  and  recognized  in income  when the  corresponding  physical  sale is
recorded.

At March 31, 1998, the Company had thirty-nine  open options  contracts to hedge
future deliveries with maturities  ranging from April 1998 through December 1998
at floor  prices  ranging  from $14 to $20 per barrel.  At March 31,  1997,  the
Company had thirty-six  open futures and/or  portions  contracts to hedge future
deliveries  with  maturities  ranging from April 1997 through  February  1998 at
prices ranging from $20.26 to $20.42 per barrel.

Cash flows from hedging activities are consolidated into oil and gas revenues on
the  Statement  of  Operations  and,  as a result,  are  included  in  operating
activities in the Statement of Cash Flows.  The Company  realized an approximate
$23,000  gain on its  hedging  activities  in 1998.  These  gains were offset by
receiving lower prices,  relative to the oil prices management accepted to hedge
its  exposure,  for physical  crude oil sales in 1998.  The Company  realized an
approximate  $206,000 loss on its hedging  activities  in 1997.  The fair market
value of the open  futures and options  contracts at March 31, 1998 was $64,000,
with a cost basis of $36,000 which is included in other current assets.

For each  futures  contract  and each call  option  contract  that is sold,  the
Company is required  to furnish an initial  cash  margin.  In  addition,  to the
extent that the price of oil moves  above the price each  futures or call option
contract was sold, the Company is required to furnish an additional cash margin,
an event known as a margin  call.  The  purchase of put or call options does not

                                       29
<PAGE>


require a cash margin to be  maintained.  If a margin call is not funded,  NYMEX
will close the contracts and any  unrealized  loss would become a realized loss.
The  Company  has  executed a tri-party  agreement  to fund the  initial  margin
requirement and any margin calls up to $150,000 (See further  information  under
Note 4). Because of the volatility of oil prices, it is possible for this credit
limit to be exceeded. During the past year, the maximum credit utilization never
exceeded $15,000.

The Company is not exposed to credit  risk in the event of  nonperformance  by a
counterparty  in that  such risk is borne by NYMEX.  Since  each  trader in each
future  contract  and put or call  option sold is required to furnish an initial
cash  margin  and is  subject  to  margin  calls,  nonperformance  by  NYMEX  is
considered unlikely.

Continuation  of hedging  activities,  at this level of coverage or at higher or
lower levels of coverage,  may vary or change,  due to change of  circumstances,
unforeseen  opportunities,   inability  to  fund  margin  requirements,  lending
institution  requirements  and other  events  which the  Company  is not able to
anticipate.

Income Taxes The Company  accounts for income taxes in accordance  with SFAS No.
109,  "Accounting  for Income  Taxes" which  requires the use of the  "liability
method."  Accordingly,  deferred tax liabilities and assets are determined based
on the temporary  differences  between the financial  statement and tax bases of
assets and liabilities,  using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which
the differences are expected to reverse.

New Accounting  Pronouncements In June 1997, the Financial  Accounting Standards
Board issued  Statement of Financial  Accounting  Standards  No. 130,  Reporting
Comprehensive  Income (SFAS 130), which establishes  standards for reporting and
display of  comprehensive  income,  its  components  and  accumulated  balances.
Comprehensive  income is defined to include all changes in equity  except  those
resulting from investments by owners and  distributions  to owners.  Among other
disclosures, SFAS 130 requires that all items that are required to be recognized
under current  accounting  standards as components  of  comprehensive  income be
reported in a financial  statement that is displayed with the same prominence as
other financial statements.

Also, in June 1997, FASB issued SFAS No. 131,  "Disclosures about Segments of an
Enterprise and Related  Information"  which  supersedes  SFAS No.14,  "Financial
Reporting  for  Segments  of a Business  Enterprise."  SFAS No. 131  establishes
standards for the way that public companies report  information  about operating
segments in annual  financial  statements  and  requires  reporting  of selected
information about operating  segments in interim financial  statements issued to
the public. It also establishes standards for disclosures regarding products and
services,  geographic areas and major customers.  SFAS No. 131 defines operating
segments as components of a company about which separate  financial  information
is available that is evaluated  regularly by the chief operating  decision maker
in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance.

                                       30
<PAGE>


SFAS 130 and 131 are effective for financial  statements  for periods  beginning
after December 15, 1997 and requires  comparative  information for earlier years
to be restated. Because of the recent issuance of the standards,  management has
been unable to fully  evaluate  the impact,  if any, the  standards  may have on
future  financial  statement  disclosures.  Results of operations  and financial
position, however, will be unaffected by implementation of these standards.

In February 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 132,  "Employers"  Disclosures  about
Pensions and Other  Postretirement  Benefits" which  standardizes the disclosure
requirements for pensions and Other Benefits" which  standardizes the disclosure
requirements  for  pensions  and  other  postretirement  benefits  and  requires
additional  information on changes in the benefit obligations and fair values of
plan assets that will facilitate  financial analysis.  SFAS No. 132 is effective
for years beginning after December 15, 1997 and requires comparative information
for  earlier  years to be  restated,  unless  such  information  is not  readily
available.  Management  believes  the  adoption of this  statement  will have no
material impact on the Company's financial statements.

Reclassifications  Certain  prior year  amounts  may have been  reclassified  to
conform to current year presentation.

2. Going Concern
   -------------

The Company's  financial  statements  are presented on the going concern  basis,
which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities
in the normal  course of  business.  The Company has incurred a net loss for the
year  ended  March  31,  1998 due to the fall of oil  prices  during  the  year,
incurred  a  ceiling  limitation  writedown  of  $870,000  on its  oil  and  gas
properties and has a working  capital  deficit (See Note 4). These factors raise
substantial  doubt about the Company's  ability to continue as a going  concern.
The Company is seeking to  restructure  its debt and sell certain assets to meet
working  capital  demands.  In the interim,  the Company is focusing on reducing
both lease  operating  expense  and  general  and  administrative  expenses.  In
addition,  the Company  plans to  accelerate  its plans to divest  itself and/or
abandon  marginal  wells in an  effort  to  generate  cash from the sales or the
salvage of leasehold equipment.

The financial  statements do not include any adjustments to reflect the possible
future effects on the classification of assets or the amounts and classification
of  liabilities  that may result from the  possible  inability of the Company to
continue as a going concern.

                                       31
<PAGE>



3. Other Current Assets
   --------------------

Other current assets at March 31, 1998 and 1997 consisted of the following:

                                                   1998       1997
                                                 --------   --------

            Lease and well equipment inventory   $184,000   $220,000
            Futures contracts                      36,000     20,000
            Other current assets                    6,000     43,000
                                                 --------   --------

            Total other current assets           $226,000   $283,000
                                                 ========   ========

The lease and well equipment inventory represents equipment owned by the Company
that has  either  been  purchased  or has been  transferred  from wells that the
Company operates. When placed in inventory, the equipment is valued, in the case
of new  equipment,  at cost,  or in the case of used  equipment,  at  prevailing
market  prices  and is  removed  from the  full  cost  pool.  The  equipment  is
eventually  either  sold  to  third  parties  at  prevailing  market  prices  or
transferred to other wells that the Company operates on an as-needed basis.

4. Long-Term Debt
   --------------

Outstanding debt of the Company as of March 31, 1998 is as follows:

                                             1998       1997
                                           --------   --------
                 Bank note under loan
                   agreement (see below)   $624,000   $649,000

                 Less current portion       234,000       --
                                           --------   --------

                 Total long-term debt      $390,000   $649,000
                                           ========   ========

Bank Debt At March 31, 1998,  the Company has two loan  agreements  with Norwest
Bank of Colorado, N.A. ("the Bank") which include a Declining Balance, Revolving
Line of Credit (DBRLOC) and a Revolving Line of Credit (RLOC). The DBRLOC had an
original  borrowing  base of  $1,200,000  on  December  13,  1996 which has been
reduced by $30,000  per month  since  January  1,  1997.  At March 31,  1998 the
Company's borrowing base was at $750,000. On the maturity date of April 1, 2000,
the borrowing base amount will be zero.

On December 23, 1997,  the Bank and the Company  modified the RLOC to extend the
maturity date of the loan to December 31, 1998. This  modification  also set the
borrowing base to $150,000. All other terms and conditions of the RLOC remain in
full effect.

                                       32
<PAGE>


The  Company  may  reduce  the loan  balance  ahead of  schedule  and be able to
re-borrow up to the declined  and/or adjusted  borrowing base. In addition,  the
Company has no obligation to make regularly  scheduled  principal payments until
such time as the outstanding debt exceeds the declined and/or adjusted borrowing
base. At March 31, 1998 and 1997,  the current  portion of long-term debt on the
DBRLOC and RLOC is $234,000 and $0 on the financial statements herein.

Under the DBRLOC loan  agreement,  the Company must maintain  certain  covenants
with  regard to  various  financial  ratios and net worth  criteria.  Failure to
maintain any covenant, after a curative period, creates a default under the loan
agreement  and requires  the  repayment.  Effective at March 31, 1998,  the Bank
amended the original  DBRLOC,  by lowering  the required net worth  covenant the
Company  must  maintain to  $750,000  from  $1,700,000.  Another  specific  bank
covenant requires the maintenance of a current ratio of 1:1 after adjustment for
the  removal of the  current  portion of  long-term  debt.  The  Company  was in
compliance with this covenant at March 31, 1998.

The DBRLOC and RLOC are collateralized and secured by mortgages on substantially
all of the  Company's  producing  oil  and  gas  properties  and  the  Company's
hedging/margin  account  associated with the Company's  hedging  activities.  At
March 31, 1998 and 1997, the Company's effective annual interest rate was 10.5%.

Below is a schedule of the required debt payments:

         Year                        Amount
         ----                        ------

         1999                     $    234,000
         2000                          360,000
         2001                           30,000
                                  ------------

                                  $    624,000
                                  ============

5. Commitments
   -----------

The Company leases its office space for  approximately  $3,200 per month through
April 30, 1998 and $3,450 per month through April 30, 1999.  Rental  expense was
approximately  $41,000  and $40,000 for the years ended March 31, 1998 and 1997,
respectively.

                                       33
<PAGE>


6. Shareholders' Equity
   --------------------

Stock Option Plan During 1998 and 1997, the Company  granted  various options to
purchase an aggregate of 140,000 and 200,000 shares, respectively, of its common
stock to directors and employees  for services  rendered.  At March 31, 1998 and
1997,  all the options were still  outstanding.  Under the terms of the options,
employees and directors may exercise  their options at prices ranging from $.065
to $.11  (which  approximated  the fair  market  value at the date of grant) per
share  over a period  not to exceed  ten  years  beginning  on the  grant  date,
provided they remain directors or employees of the Company.

A summary of the status of the  Company's  stock  option  plans and  outstanding
options as of March 31,  1998 and 1997 and  changes  during the years  ending on
those dates is presented below:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                       1998                               1997
                                            -------------------------         ---------------------------
                                                             Weighted                            Weighted
                                                             Average                             Average
                                                             Exercise                            Exercise
                                            Shares            Price            Shares             Price
                                            ------            -----            ------             -----
<S>                                         <C>               <C>             <C>               <C>      
Outstanding, beginning of year              300,000           $ .072          100,000           $ .078125

            Granted                         140,000           $ .106          200,000           $ .065
            Cancelled                          --              --                --                 --
            Exercised                          --              --                --                 --
                                            -------           ------          -------           ---------
Outstanding, end of year                    440,000           $ .081          300,000           $ .069
                                            =======           ======          =======           =========

Options exercisable, end of year            440,000           $ .081          300,000           $ .069

Weighted average fair value of options
  granted during the year                   $  .106                           $  .065

</TABLE>

SFAS No. 123, "Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation," requires the Company to
provide pro forma  information  regarding net income and net income per share as
if  compensation  costs for the  Company's  stock  option  plans and other stock
awards  had been  determined  in  accordance  with the fair value  based  method
prescribed  in SFAS No. 123. The Company  estimated the fair value of each stock
award at the grant date by using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the
following  weighted-average  assumptions used for grants in the year ended March
31, 1998:  dividend yield at 0 percent;  expected  volatility of approximately 4
percent;  risk free interest rate of 6 percent;  and expected lives of ten years
for the warrants.  The  assumptions  used for grants in the year ended March 31,
1997:  dividend  yield of 0 percent  for all  years;  expected  volatility  of 3
percent;  risk-free  rate of 6 percent;  and expected lives of ten years for the
warrants.

                                       34
<PAGE>


Under the  accounting  provisions for SFAS No. 123, the Company's net income and
net  income  per share  would  have been  adjusted  to the  following  pro forma
amounts:

                                          Year Ended           Year Ended
                                           March 31,            March 31,
                                             1998                 1997
                                        --------------        ------------
Net loss
As reported                             $   (1,111,000)       $    109,000
Pro forma                                   (1,111,000)            105,000
Net income (loss) per share
Basic and diluted
As reported                             $        (.067)       $       .007
Pro forma                                        (.067)               .006


The following table summarizes  information  about stock options  outstanding at
March 31, 1998:

               Options Outstanding                         Options Exercisable
- ---------------------------------------------------      -----------------------
                            Weighted
                            Average        Weighted                     Weighted
Range of      Number        Remaining      Average       Number         Average
Exercise      Outstanding   Contractual    Exercise      Exercisable    Exercise
Prices        at 3/31/98       Life          Price       at 3/31/98       Price
- ------        ----------       ----          -----       ----------       -----

$.065         200,000          8.33        $.065         200,000        $.065
$ .078125     100,000          7.33        $.078125      100,000        $.078125
$.09 - .11    140,000          9.56        $.106         140,000        $.106
- ----------    -------          ----        --------      -------         -------

$.065 -.11    440,000          8.49        $.081         440,000        $.081
==========    =======          ====        ========      =======        ========


7. Major Customers
   ---------------

Significant  purchasers of 10% or more of Basic's oil and gas  production are as
follows:

                                                1998         1997
                                                ----         ----
     Norco Crude Gathering, Inc.                 24%          18%
     Murphy Oil USA, Inc.                        21%          18%
     Cenex , Inc.                                19%          34%

It is not  expected  that  the  loss of any of  these  customers  would  cause a
material  adverse  impact  on  operations  since  alternative  markets  for  the
Company's products are available.

                                       35
<PAGE>


8. Income Tax
   ----------

Due  primarily to the  availability  of net  operating  loss  carryforwards  and
favorable book to tax differences,  the Company had no taxable income during the
year ended March 31, 1998 and 1997.

A  reconciliation  between the income tax  provision  at the  statutory  rate on
income taxes and the income tax provision is as follows:
                                                       1998           1997
                                                    -----------    -----------

        Federal income tax provision at statutory
          rates                                     $  (378,000)   $    37,000
        State income tax                                (37,000)         4,000
        Expired net operating loss carryforward       1,722,000           --
        Change in valuation allowance                (1,193,000)       (41,000)
        Other                                          (114,000)          --
                                                    -----------    -----------

 Income tax expense (benefit)                       $      --      $      --
                                                    ===========    ===========

The Company recorded a valuation allowance of $3,906,000 and $5,099,000 at March
31, 1998 and 1997, respectively, equal to the excess of deferred tax assets over
deferred tax  liabilities  as it was unable to determine that these benefits are
more likely than not to be realized.

The Components of the net deferred tax assets and liabilities are shown below:

                                                   For the Year Ended March 31,
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                       1998             1997
                                                   -----------      -----------

Net operating loss carryforward                    $ 2,760,000      $ 4,292,000
Statutory depletion carryforward                     1,389,000        1,389,000
Other                                                   80,000             --
                                                   -----------      -----------

Total gross deferred tax assets                      4,229,000        5,681,000
Valuation allowance                                 (3,906,000)      (5,099,000)
                                                   -----------      -----------

Net deferred tax asset                                 323,000          582,000
Deferred tax liability - depreciation,
 depletion and amortization                           (323,000)        (582,000)
                                                   -----------      -----------

Net deferred taxes                                 $      --        $      --
                                                   ===========      ===========

                                       36

<PAGE>


As of March 31, 1998, the Company has net operating loss  carryforwards  for tax
purposes of approximately $7.4 million which expire as follows:

                    3/31/99                       $   2,085,000
                    3/31/00                           2,759,000
                    3/31/01                           1,315,000
                    3/31/02                             447,000
                    3/31/03 and beyond                  794,000
                                                  -------------

                                                  $   7,400,000
                                                  =============

9. Related Party Transactions
   --------------------------

It is the policy of Basic that  officers or  directors  may assign to or receive
assignments  from  Basic in oil and gas  prospects  only on the same  terms  and
conditions as accepted by independent  third  parties.  It is also the policy of
Basic that officers or directors and Basic may  participate  together in oil and
gas prospects  generated by independent third parties only on the same terms and
conditions  as  accepted  by each  other.  In the years ended March 31, 1998 and
1997, there were no significant related party transactions.

10. Significant Fourth Quarter Adjustments
    --------------------------------------

At March 31, 1998,  the Company  recorded a writedown of oil and gas property in
the amount of $870,000 due to ceiling limitations.

11. 401(k) Plan
    -----------

During the year ended March 31,  1998,  the Company  implemented  a savings plan
which allows the participant to make  contributions by salary reduction pursuant
to Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Employees  are  required  to work for the  Company  one year  before they become
eligible to participate in the Plan. The Company  matches 100% of the employee's
contributions up to 3% of the employee's  salary.  Contributions are vested when
made.  During the year ended March 31, 1998, the Company's  contributions to the
Plan were approximately $4,000

12. Unaudited Oil and Gas Reserve Information
    -----------------------------------------

One hundred percent (100%) of the reserve estimates  presented  herein,  for the
year ended March 31, 1998, were derived from reports prepared by the independent
petroleum  engineering  firm,  Heinle & Associates,  Inc (Heinle).  For the year
ended March 31,  1997,  approximately  ninety-six  percent  (96%) of the reserve
estimates  presented  herein were derived from reports  prepared by Heinle.  The

                                       37

<PAGE>


remaining  four  percent  (4%) were  prepared  by Basic and were not  audited by
Heinle.  The Company  cautions  that there are many  inherent  uncertainties  in
estimating  proved reserve  quantities and in projecting future production rates
and the timing of development  expenditures.  Accordingly,  these  estimates are
likely to change as future  information  becomes  available,  and these  changes
could be material.

Proved  oil  and gas  reserves  are  the  estimated  quantities  of  crude  oil,
condensate, natural gas and natural gas liquids which geological and engineering
data  demonstrate  with  reasonable  certainty to be recoverable in future years
from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions.

Proved developed  reserves are those reserves  expected to be recovered  through
existing wells with existing equipment and operating methods.

Analysis of Changes in Proved Reserves  Estimated  quantities of proved reserves
(all of which are located within the United  States),  as well as the changes in
proved reserves during the periods indicated, are presented in the following two
tables:

                    Proved Developed and Undeveloped Reserves
                    -----------------------------------------

                                               Oil and
                                             natural gas    Natural
                                               liquids        gas
                                                (bbl)        (mcf)
                                             ----------    ----------
          Proved developed and undeveloped
               reserves at March 31, 1996\      721,000     1,107,000

          Revisions of previous estimates         5,000        84,000
          Extensions and discoveries             12,000          --
          Improved recovery                       9,000          --
          Production                           (134,000)     (202,000)
                                             ----------    ----------
          Proved developed and undeveloped
               reserves at March 31, 1997       613,000       989,000
                                             ==========    ==========

          Proved developed and undeveloped
               reserves at March 31, 1997       613,000       989,000
          Revisions of previous estimates      (171,000)      (51,000)
          Production                           (125,000)     (166,000)
                                             ----------    ----------

          Proved developed and undeveloped
               reserves at March 31, 1998       317,000       772,000
                                             ==========    ==========

                            Proved Developed Reserves
                            -------------------------

                                           Oil and
                                          natural gas    Natural
                                            liquids        gas
                                             (bbl)        (mcf)
                                             -----        -----
                   March 31, 1997           613,000      989,000
                   March 31, 1998           317,000      772,000

                                       38
<PAGE>


                                 Costs Incurred
                                 --------------

                                           Year Ended March 31,
                                           --------------------
                                             1998       1997
                                             ----       ----

               Property acquisition
                    Proved property        $ 34,000   $ 67,000
                    Unproved property       309,000      1,000
                    Exploration                --       20,000
                    Development                --      112,000



                 Aggregate Capitalized Oil and Gas Property Cost
                 -----------------------------------------------

                                             March 31, 1998  March 31, 1997
                                             --------------  --------------

    Capitalized cost
         Proved property                      $ 32,559,000    $ 32,150,000
         Unproved property                            --            21,000
                                              ------------    ------------

                                                32,559,000      32,171,000

    Accumulated depreciation and
         depletion                             (16,256,000)    (15,721,000)
    Oil and gas property cost in excess
         of ceiling limitation (cumulative)    (14,961,000)    (14,091,000)
                                              ------------    ------------

    Net capitalized cost                      $  1,342,000    $  2,359,000
                                              ============    ============




The  table on the  following  page  sets  forth a  standardized  measure  of the
estimated  discounted  future net cash flows  attributable to Basic's proved oil
and gas reserves.  Estimated  future cash inflows were computed by applying year
end  prices  of oil and gas (with  consideration  of price  changes  only to the
extent provided by contractual  arrangements) to the estimated future production
of proved oil and gas reserves at March 31, 1998 and 1997. The future production
and development cost represents the estimated future expenditures to be incurred
in developing  and  producing  the proved  reserves,  assuming  continuation  of
existing  economic  conditions.  Discounting  the  annual  net cash flows at 10%
illustrates the impact of timing on these future cash flows.

                                       39

<PAGE>



       Standardized Measure of Estimated Discounted Future Net Cash Flows
       ------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                            March 31,
                                                 ------------------------------
                                                     1998              1997
                                                 ------------      ------------
         Future cash inflows                     $  5,412,000      $ 12,631,000
         Future cash outflows
         Production cost                           (3,522,000)       (8,334,000)
         Development cost                             (45,000)          (48,000)
                                                 ------------      ------------
Future net cash flows                               1,845,000         4,249,000
Adjustment to discount future
annual net cash flows at 10%                         (521,000)       (1,167,000)
                                                 ------------      ------------
Standardized measure of discounted
future net cash flows                            $  1,324,000      $  3,082,000
                                                 ============      ============

The following table summarizes the principal  factors  comprising the changes in
the  standardized  measure of estimated  discounted net cash flows for the years
ended March 31, 1998 and 1997.


     Changes in Standardized Measure of Estimated Discounted Net Cash Flows
     ----------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                        Year Ended March 31,
                                                     --------------------------
                                                         1998           1997
                                                     -----------    -----------

Standardized measure, beginning of period            $ 3,082,000    $ 4,725,000

Sales of oil and gas, net of production cost            (530,000)      (883,000)

Net change in sales prices, net of production cost      (431,000)    (1,198,000)

Discoveries, extensions and improved recoveries,
net of future development cost                              --          112,000

Purchase of reserves                                        --             --

Revisions of quantity estimates                         (584,000)        73,000

Accretion of discount                                     72,000        472,000

Changes in rates of production and other                (285,000)      (219,000)
                                                     -----------    -----------
Standardized measure, end of period                  $ 1,324,000    $ 3,082,000
                                                     ===========    ===========

In the year ended March 31, 1998,  Basic realized a decrease from the prior year
in the  standardized  measure  of  estimated  discounted  net cash  flows.  This
decrease  in the  standardized  measure  was  primarily  the result of lower oil
prices at March 31, 1998  compared to March 31, 1997,  in addition to the actual
production of forecast reserves.

                                       40
<PAGE>


                                     ITEM 8
                  CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS
                     ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.


Part III
- --------

                                     ITEM 9
              DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, PROMOTERS AND CONTROL
                     PERSONS; COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(a)
                               OF THE EXCHANGE ACT

Information concerning this item will be in Basic's 1998 Proxy Statement,  which
is incorporated herein by reference.

                                     ITEM 10
                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Information concerning this item will be in Basic's 1998 Proxy Statement,  which
is incorporated herein by reference.


                                     ITEM 11
                 SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
                                 AND MANAGEMENT

Information concerning this item will be in Basic's 1998 Proxy Statement,  which
is incorporated herein by reference.

                                     ITEM 12
                 CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

Information concerning this item will be in Basic's 1998 Proxy Statement,  which
is incorporated herein by reference.

                                       41
<PAGE>


Part IV
- -------
                                    
                                     ITEM 13
                        EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K
(a) Exhibits

   Exhibit
     No.                    Document
- ------------   --------------------------------------
    3i(1)      Restated  Certificate of  Incorporation  included in Basic's Form
               10-K for the year ended March 31, 1981

    3i(1)      By-laws included in Basic's Form S-1 filed October 24, 1980

    3i(1)      Certificate  of  Amendment  to Basic's  Restated  Certificate  of
               Incorporation dated March 31, 1996

  10(i)a(1)    Loan Agreement  between  Norwest  Denver,  N.A. and Basic,  dated
               August 1, 1994

  10(i)a(1)    Sales  Agreement  between  Basic and  TransTexas,  dated March 3,
               1995, pertaining to the sale of deep exploration rights

  10(i)a(1)    Purchase & Sale  Agreement  between Basic and MCM, dated March 6,
               1995, pertaining to Williston basin acquisition

  10(i)a(1)    Amended Loan Agreement  between Norwest  Denver,  N.A. and Basic,
               dated March 30, 1995

  10(i)a(1)    Amended Loan Agreement  between Norwest  Denver,  N.A. and Basic,
               September 13, 1995

  10(i)a(1)    Amended Loan Agreement  between Norwest  Denver,  N.A. and Basic,
               December 13, 1996

  10(ii)(1)    Oil and Gas Incentive  Compensation Plan included in Basic's Form
               10-K for the year ended March 31, 1985

    22(1)      Subsidiaries  of Basic included in Basic's Form 10-K for the year
               ended March 31, 1987

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

     (1)       Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference
     
Other exhibits and schedules are omitted  because they are not  applicable,  not
required or the  information  is included in the  financial  statements or notes
thereto.

(b) Reports on Form 8-K

No reports on Form 8-K were filed during the quarter ended March 31, 1998.

                                       42
<PAGE>


                                   Signatures

In  accordance  with  Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange  Act,  the  registrant
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized.

BASIC EARTH SCIENCE SYSTEMS, INC.

/s/  Ray Singleton                                 /s/  Robert M. Olmsted
- ------------------------------                     -----------------------------
Ray Singleton, President                           Robert M. Olmsted,
                                                   Principal Accounting Officer

- ------------------------------                     -----------------------------
Date:                                              Date:

In  accordance  with the Exchange  Act, this report has been signed below by the
following  persons on behalf of the  registrant and in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.

Name and Capacity                                   Date
- -----------------                                   ----

/s/  G. W. Breuer
- ------------------------------                      ----------------------------
G. W. Breuer, Director


/s/  David J. Flake
- ------------------------------                      ----------------------------
David J. Flake, Director


/s/  Edgar J. Huffman
- ------------------------------                      ----------------------------
Edgar J. Huffman, Director


/s/  Ray Singleton
- ------------------------------                      ----------------------------
Ray Singleton,  Director


                                       43


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM  THE
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS, STATEMENTS OF INCOME, STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS, AND
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS'  EQUITY ON PAGES 22, 23, 24, 25 AND 26 OF
THE  COMPANY'S  FORM  10-KSB FOR THE FISCAL  YEAR  ENDED  MARCH 31,  1998 AND IS
QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                                           <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          MAR-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1998
<CASH>                                              52
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                      257
<ALLOWANCES>                                      (54)
<INVENTORY>                                          0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                   481
<PP&E>                                          33,009
<DEPRECIATION>                                (31,591)
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   1,984
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                              702
<BONDS>                                              0
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                            17
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                     1,984
<SALES>                                          2,422
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 2,450
<CGS>                                            3,515
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                    3,515
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                    14
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                  59
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                (1,111)
<INCOME-TAX>                                         0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            (1,111)
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                   (1,111)
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0
        

</TABLE>


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