UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
[ ] Check box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
GOSE, MARGARET ANN
HCR BOX 1010 - HWY212 MM86
ROBERTS, MT 59070
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
THE EXPLORATION COMPANY OF DELAWARE, INC. TXCO
3. IRS Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (voluntary)
###-##-####
4. Statement for Month/Year
08/31/00
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
( ) Director ( ) 10% Owner ( ) Officer (give title below)
(x) Other (specify below)
SPOUSE OF DIRECTOR
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check applicable line)
(x) Form Filed by One Reporting Person
( ) Form Filed by More than One Reporting Person
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
1. Title of Security |2. |3. |4.Securities Acquired (A) |5.Amount of |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect |
| Transaction | or Disposed of (D) | Securities |ect | Beneficial Ownership |
| | | | Beneficially |(D)or | |
| | | | | A/| | Owned at |Indir | |
| Date |Code|V| Amount | D | Price | End of Year |ect(I)| |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<S> <C> <C> <C><C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Common Stock, $0.01 par |8/2/00|S | |30000 |D |2.888 |502563 |I |BY RETAMCO OPERATING |
value | | | | | | | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Common Stock, $0.01 par |8/2/00|S | |20000 |D |2.888 |0 |D |AS JOINT TENANTS |
value | | | | | | | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
<CAPTION>
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
1.Title of Derivative |2.Con- |3. |4. |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount |8.Price|9.Number |10.|11.Nature of|
Security |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and| of Underlying |of Deri|of Deriva |Dir|Indirect |
|or Exer | | | rities Acqui |Expiration | Securities |vative |tive |ect|Beneficial |
|cise | | | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/| |Secu |Securities |(D)|Ownership |
|Price of| | | posed of(D) |Day/Year) | |rity |Benefi |or | |
|Deriva- | | | |Date |Expir| | |ficially |Ind| |
|tive | | | | A/|Exer-|ation| Title and Number | |Owned at |ire| |
|Secu- | | | | | D |cisa-|Date | of Shares | |End of |ct | |
|rity |Date |Code|V| Amount | |ble | | | |Year |(I)| |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C><C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
</TABLE>
Margaret Ann Gose
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/Signature/
By: Roberto R. Thomae, per power of attorney
DATE
9/7/00
