<PAGE> 1
================================================================================
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
-----------------------
SCHEDULE 13G/A
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
MCMORAN EXPLORATION CO.
(Name of Issuer)
COMMON STOCK, $0.01 PAR VALUE
(Title of Class of Securities)
582411104
(CUSIP Number)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:
[ ] Rule 13d-1(b)
[X] Rule 13d-1(c)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
================================================================================
<PAGE> 2
CUSIP NO. 582411104
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Name of Reporting Person HM 4 FSC, L.P.
I.R.S. Identification No. of above person (entities only)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Check the appropriate box if a member of a group (See Instructions) (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC use only
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Citizenship or Place of Organization Texas
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Sole Voting Power 0
Number of Shares Beneficially --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Shared Voting Power 0
Owned by Each Reporting --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 Sole Dispositive Power 0
Person With --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 Shared Dispositive Power 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by each Reporting Person (1) 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9) 0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) PN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
Page 2 of 10
<PAGE> 3
CUSIP NO. 582411104
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Name of Reporting Person Hicks, Muse GP Partners IV, L.P.
I.R.S. Identification No. of above person (entities only)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Check the appropriate box if a member of a group (See Instructions) (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC use only
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Citizenship or Place of Organization Texas
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Sole Voting Power 0
Number of Shares Beneficially --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Shared Voting Power 0
Owned by Each Reporting --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 Sole Dispositive Power 0
Person With --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 Shared Dispositive Power 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by each Reporting Person (1) 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9) 0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) PN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
Page 3 of 10
<PAGE> 4
CUSIP NO. 582411104
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Name of Reporting Person HM4/GP Partners, L.P.
I.R.S. Identification No. of above person (entities only)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Check the appropriate box if a member of a group (See Instructions) (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC use only
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Citizenship or Place of Organization Texas
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Sole Voting Power 0
Number of Shares Beneficially --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Shared Voting Power 0
Owned by Each Reporting --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 Sole Dispositive Power 0
Person With --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 Shared Dispositive Power 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by each Reporting Person (1) 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9) 0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) PN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
Page 4 of 10
<PAGE> 5
CUSIP NO. 582411104
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Name of Reporting Person Hicks, Muse Fund IV LLC
I.R.S. Identification No. of above person (entities only)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Check the appropriate box if a member of a group (See Instructions) (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC use only
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Citizenship or Place of Organization Texas
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Sole Voting Power 0
Number of Shares Beneficially --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Shared Voting Power 0
Owned by Each Reporting --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 Sole Dispositive Power 0
Person With --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 Shared Dispositive Power 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by each Reporting Person (1) 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9) 0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) PN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
Page 5 of 10
<PAGE> 6
CUSIP NO. 582411104
<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C>
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Name of Reporting Person Thomas O. Hicks
I.R.S. Identification No. of above person (entities only)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Check the appropriate box if a member of a group (See Instructions) (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 SEC use only
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4 Citizenship or Place of Organization United States
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Sole Voting Power 0
Number of Shares Beneficially --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6 Shared Voting Power 0
Owned by Each Reporting --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7 Sole Dispositive Power 0
Person With --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 Shared Dispositive Power 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9 Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by each Reporting Person (1) 0
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares [ ]
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9) 0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) IN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
Page 6 of 10
<PAGE> 7
ITEM 1. SECURITY AND ISSUER.
(a) Name of Issuer: McMoRan Exploration Co.
(b) Address of the Issuer's principal executive offices
1615 Poydras Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
ITEM 2. IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND.
(a) Name of persons filing: HM 4 FSC, L.P.
HM4/GP Partners, L.P.
Hicks, Muse GP Partners IV, L.P.
Hicks, Muse Fund IV LLC
Thomas O. Hicks
(b) Address of Principal Business Office of each Reporting Person:
200 Crescent Court
Suite 1600
Dallas, Texas 75201
(c) Citizenship of each Reporting Person:
HM 4 FSC, L.P. Texas
HM4/GP Partners, L.P. Texas
Hicks, Muse GP Partners IV, L.P. Texas
Hicks, Muse Fund IV LLC Texas
Thomas O. Hicks United States
(d) Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock, $0.01 par value
(e) CUSIP Number: 58211104
ITEM 3. Not Applicable
ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP
(a) The Reporting Persons sold all of the shares of Common Stock
beneficially owned by them on February 19, 1999.
(b) Percent of Class: 0%
(c) Number of shares as to which each Reporting Person has:
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: 0
(ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 0
(iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition
of: 0
(iv) Shared power to vote or to direct the disposition
of: 0
Page 7 of 10
<PAGE> 8
ITEM 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of
more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following
[X].
ITEM 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON
Not Applicable
ITEM 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE
SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY
Not Applicable
ITEM 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
Not Applicable
ITEM 9. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP
Not Applicable
ITEM 10. CERTIFICATION
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not
held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing
the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and
are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction
having that purpose or effect.
Page 8 of 10
<PAGE> 9
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief,
each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.
Dated: February 23, 1999 HM4 FSC, L.P., a Texas limited partnership
By: HM4/GP Partners, L.P.,
its general partner
By: Hicks, Muse GP Partners IV, L.P.,
its general partner
By: Hicks, Muse Fund IV LLC,
its general partner
By: /s/ MICHAEL D. SALIM
-----------------------------
Michael D. Salim
Chief Financial Officer
and Senior Vice President
Dated: February 23, 1999 HM4/GP PARTNERS, L.P., a Texas limited
partnership
By: Hicks, Muse GP Partners IV, L.P.,
its general partner
By: Hicks, Muse Fund IV LLC,
its general partner
By: /s/ MICHAEL D. SALIM
---------------------------------
Michael D. Salim
Chief Financial Officer and
Senior Vice President
Dated: February 23, 1999 HICKS, MUSE GP PARTNERS IV, L.P., a Texas limited
partnership
By: Hicks, Muse Fund IV LLC,
its general partner
By: /s/ MICHAEL D. SALIM
-------------------------------------
Michael D. Salim
Chief Financial Officer and
Senior Vice President
Page 9 of 10
<PAGE> 10
Dated: February 23, 1999 HICKS, MUSE FUND IV, LLC, a Texas limited
liability company
By: /s/ MICHAEL D. SALIM
---------------------------------------------
Michael D. Salim
Chief Financial Officer and
Senior Vice President
Dated: February 23, 1999 /s/ DAVID W. KNICKEL
-------------------------------------------------
Thomas O. Hicks
By: David W. Knickel, Attorney-in-Fact
Page 10 of 10
<PAGE> 11
EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
EXHIBIT
NUMBER DESCRIPTION
- -------- -----------
<S> <C>
99.1 Power of Attorney for Thomas O. Hicks. (Filed as
Exhibit 99.5 to Schedule 13D regarding Coho Energy,
Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on May 20, 1998 and incorporated herein by reference.)
99.2 Joint Filing Agreement, dated February 11, 1999, among
HM 4 FSC, L.P., HM4/GP Partners, L.P., Hicks, Muse GP
Partners IV, L.P. Hicks, Muse Fund IV LLC, and Thomas
O. Hicks. (Previously filed)
</TABLE>