SEITEL INC
10-K/A, 1998-04-29
OIL & GAS FIELD EXPLORATION SERVICES
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                                    FORM 10-K/A
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549
                                Amendment No. 1

- -------
|  X  |   ANNUAL  REPORT  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION  13 OR 15(d)  OF THE  SECURITIES
- -------   EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
          For Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 1997
                          -----------------------
                  OR

- -------
|     |   TRANSITION  REPORT  PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE  SECURITIES
- -------   EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

          [No Fee Required] For the transition period          to        .
                                                      --------    -------

          Commission File Number 0-14488
                                 -------

                                  SEITEL, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

           Delaware                                             76-0025431
           --------                                             ----------
(State or other jurisdiction of                                (IRS Employer
incorporation or organization)                            Identification Number)

     50 Briar Hollow Lane
   West Building, 7th Floor
        Houston, Texas                                             77027
        --------------                                             -----
     (Address of principal                                      (Zip Code)
      executive offices)

                                 (713) 881-8900
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                 Not Applicable
                                 --------------
               Former name, former address and former fiscal year,
                          if changed since last report.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12 months (or for such  shorter  period that the  registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports),  and  (2) has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days.

                            ----                  ----
                   Yes       X            No
                            ----                  ----

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent  filers  pursuant to Item 405
of Regulation  S-K is not contained  herein,  and will not 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-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K. X
          ---

The  aggregate  market value of the voting stock held by  non-affiliates  of the
registrant at March 27, 1998 was approximately $331,183,075. For these purposes,
the term "affiliate" is deemed to mean officers and directors of the registrant.
On such  date,  the  closing  price of the  Common  Stock on the New York  Stock
Exchange was $15.50 and there were a total of 22,551,854  shares of Common Stock
outstanding.


<PAGE>


                                    PART III

ITEM 10.  Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant

     The  executive  officers and directors of the Company and their ages (as of
April 1, 1998) and positions with the Company are as follows:

Name                    Age    Position(s) with the Company      Director Since
- ---------------------  -----  ------------------------------    ----------------

Herbert M. Pearlman      65    Chairman of the Board                  1982
                                  of Directors
Paul A. Frame            51    Chief Executive Officer,               1986
                                  President and Director
Horace A. Calvert        44    Chief Operating Officer,               1987
                                  Executive Vice President
                                  and Director
David S. Lawi            62    Chairman of the Executive              1982
                                  Committee and Director
Debra D. Valice          41    Chief Financial Officer,               1995
                                  Senior Vice President of Finance,
                                  Treasurer, Corporate Secretary
                                  and Director
Walter M. Craig, Jr.     43    Director                               1987
William Lerner           64    Director                               1985
John E. Stieglitz        66    Director                               1989
Fred S. Zeidman          51    Director                               1997
Robert J. Simon II       42    Executive Vice President of             -
                                  Seitel Data, Ltd.

     Herbert M. Pearlman,  a co-founder of Seitel,  Inc., has been a director of
the Company since 1982, and Chairman of the Company's  Board of Directors  since
1987. He has served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Helm
Resources,  Inc. ("Helm"), an American Stock Exchange listed company with equity
interests in diverse businesses,  since 1980, and in June 1984, he became Helm's
Chairman of the Board.  Since  March 1984,  Mr.  Pearlman  has been  Chairman of
Intersystems,  Inc. ("Intersystems"),  an American Stock Exchange listed company
engaged in providing services to the thermoplastic  resins industry.  Since June
1990, Mr. Pearlman has served as Chairman of Unapix Entertainment, Inc. ("Unapix
Entertainment"),   an  American  Stock  Exchange   listed  company   engaged  in
multi-media entertainment.

     Paul A. Frame has been Chief  Executive  Officer of the Company  since July
1992 and President  since January 1987. He was Executive  Vice  President of the
Company from January 1985 until his  appointment  as President.  He was hired by
the Company in August 1984 as Vice President of Marketing.  Since December 1996,
Mr. Frame has been a Director of Eagle  Geophysical,  Inc.  ("Eagle"),  a NASDAQ
listed company engaged in providing  seismic data  acquisitions  services to the
oil and gas industry,  and Chairman of the Executive  Committee of Eagle's board
of directors since August 1997.

     Horace A.  Calvert has been Chief  Operating  Officer of the Company  since
July 1992 and Executive  Vice  President  since January 1987. In March 1993, Mr.
Calvert was appointed President of DDD Energy,  Inc., a wholly-owned  subsidiary
of the  Company  engaged  in the  exploration  and  development  of oil  and gas
reserves. From January 1985 until his appointment as Vice President in May 1986,
he was the Company's Chief Geophysicist.

     David S. Lawi has been Chairman of the Company's  Executive Committee since
March 1987. He also was  Assistant  Secretary of the Company from May 1986 until
June 1987 and from June 1989  until  July  1993.  Mr.  Lawi has been  Treasurer,
Corporate  Secretary and a Director of Helm since 1980, and he was its Executive
Vice  President  from 1980 through 1992.  Since March 1984,  Mr. Lawi has been a
Director of Intersystems  and, since 1985, he has been Chairman of Intersystems'
Executive  Committee.  Since June 1990,  Mr.  Lawi has been a Director of Unapix
Entertainment and, since January 1993, Chairman of its Executive Committee,  its
Treasurer and Secretary.

     Debra D. Valice, CPA, is the Company's Chief Financial Officer, Senior Vice
President of Finance, Treasurer and Corporate Secretary. Ms. Valice has been the
Company's  Chief  Financial  Officer since  February 1987, and was the Company's
Chief  Accounting  Officer from March 1986 until  February  1987. Ms. Valice was
elected as a director of the Company in November 1995.
<PAGE>
     Walter M. Craig, Jr. has provided legal and business advice to the Company,
from time to time,  since 1984.  Since 1993,  he has been  President of both the
Mezzanine  Financial  Fund,  L.P., and Core Capital,  Inc. Both  enterprises are
engaged in making capital  available to small and mid-market  companies based on
the value of their assets.  He has served as Executive  Vice President and Chief
Operating  Officer of Helm since August 1992.  From 1984 to 1992,  he was Senior
Vice  President of Business  and Legal  Affairs of Helm.  Since April 1993,  Mr.
Craig has been a Director of Unapix Entertainment.

     William Lerner is Chairman of the Company's Audit Committee and a member of
the Company's  Compensation and Stock Option Committee.  Since January 1990, Mr.
Lerner has been  engaged in the  private  practice  of law.  From May 1990 until
December 1990, he was General Counsel to Hon Development  Company,  a California
real estate development company.  From June 1986 until December 1989, Mr. Lerner
was Vice  President  and  General  Counsel  of The  Geneva  Companies,  Inc.,  a
financial services company engaged in counseling  privately owned  middle-market
companies.  Since  1985,  he has been a Director of Helm.  Mr.  Lerner is also a
Director  of  Rent-Way,   Inc.,  a  NASDAQ  listed  company   headquartered   in
Pennsylvania   that   operates   a  chain   of   rental-purchase   stores,   and
Micros-to-Mainframes,  Inc., a NASDAQ listed company  headquartered  in New York
that  provides   advanced   technology   communications   products  and  systems
integration and internet services to Fortune 2000 companies.

     John E.  Stieglitz  is Chairman  of the  Company's  Compensation  and Stock
Option Committee and a member of the Company's Audit  Committee.  He is Chairman
Emeritus of Conspectus,  Inc., a privately held company, formed in 1976, engaged
in  providing  services  in the area of  executive  recruitment.  He  served  as
President  of  Conspectus,  Inc.  from  1976 to 1996.  Mr.  Stieglitz  is also a
Director of Helm and Intersystems.

     Fred  S.  Zeidman  is  a  member  of  the  Company's  Audit  Committee  and
Compensation  and Stock Option  Committee.  Mr. Zeidman has served as President,
Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Intersystems since July 1993. He also
served as President of Interpak  Terminals,  Inc., a wholly-owned  subsidiary of
Helm engaged in the packaging and  distribution of  thermoplastic  resins,  from
July 1993 until its sale in July 1997.  Mr. Zeidman served as Chairman of Unibar
Energy  Services  Corporation,  one of the largest  independent  drilling fluids
companies in the United States, from 1985 to 1991. From April 1992 to July 1993,
Mr. Zeidman served as President of Service Enterprises, Inc., which is primarily
engaged in plumbing,  heating, air conditioning and electrical  installation and
repair. From 1983 to 1993, Mr. Zeidman served as President of Enterprise Capital
Corporation, a federally licensed small business investment company specializing
in venture capital financing.  Mr. Zeidman also serves as a Director of Heritage
Bank.

     Robert J. Simon II has been Executive Vice President of Seitel Data,  Ltd.,
a Texas limited partnership of which wholly-owned Seitel subsidiaries constitute
all of the limited and general  partners,  since October 1997 and was its Senior
Vice President from January 1996 to September  1997.  From July 1992 to February
1996, Mr. Simon served as Vice President-International  Marketing of the Company
and from July 1993 to February  1996, he served as Senior Vice  President of the
Company.  From 1987  until  July 1992 Mr.  Simon  served as the  Company's  Vice
President of Marketing.

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

     Section  16(a) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as amended  (the
"Exchange Act"), requires the Company's officers,  directors and persons who own
more than 10% of the  Company's  Common Stock to file  reports of ownership  and
changes in  ownership  concerning  the  Common  Stock  with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission and to furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a)
forms they file.  Based upon the  Company's  review of the Section 16(a) filings
that have been  received by the Company,  the Company  believes that all filings
required to be made under Section 16(a) during 1997 were timely made.


<PAGE>
Item 11.  Executive Compensation

     The following table sets forth certain summary  information  concerning the
compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to the Chief Executive Officer of the
Company and each of the four most highly  compensated  executive officers of the
Company  other  than the  Chief  Executive  Officer  (collectively,  the  "named
executive officers") for the years indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          Long-Term
                                                      Annual Compensation                Compensation
                                           ------------------------------------------- -----------------
                                                                           Other            Awards
                                                                          Annual       -----------------
                                                           Bonus       Compensation     Stock Options/       All Other
   Name and Principal Position    Year     Salary ($)     ($)(1)<F1>     ($)(2)<F2>         SARs (#)       Compensation ($)
   ----------------------------- --------  ------------ ------------  ---------------- -----------------  -----------------

<S>                               <C>        <C>         <C>           <C>                  <C>              <C>       
   Paul A. Frame                  1997       $144,878    $3,187,599    $1,301,809           932,160          $104,764  (3)<F3>
      Chief Executive Officer     1996       $141,898    $1,457,603    $1,204,334           148,600           $87,998
      and President               1995       $139,870      $806,094      $766,456           117,984           $41,358

   Horace A. Calvert              1997       $144,878    $2,359,409    $1,301,809           378,882          $104,764  (3)<F3>
      Chief Operating Officer     1996       $141,898    $1,457,603    $1,205,834           136,498           $87,998
      and Executive               1995       $139,870      $806,094      $766,456           161,612           $41,358
      Vice President

   Herbert M. Pearlman            1997       $128,438    $3,003,710         --              393,874          $104,764  (3)<F3>
      Chairman of the             1996       $124,818    $1,486,168         --              124,582           $88,654
      Board of Directors          1995       $121,182      $815,712         --              199,898           $41,358

   David S. Lawi                  1997        $64,892    $1,501,856         --              293,874          $104,764  (3)<F3>
      Chairman of the Executive   1996        $60,588      $749,085         --              124,582           $87,998
      Committee                   1995        $58,823      $407,856         --              141,852           $41,358

   Robert J. Simon II             1997        $71,125       $54,869    $1,009,239            50,000           $38,505  (3)<F3>
      Executive Vice President    1996        $60,050       $13,405      $474,359            40,000           $31,730
      of Seitel Data, Ltd.        1995        $60,000          --        $283,698            21,664           $17,293

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<FN>
<F1> (1)  Includes  bonuses based on the Company's  pre-tax  profits for Messrs.
          Frame,  Calvert,  Pearlman and Lawi and for Mr.  Frame,  an additional
          bonus of $826,690 based on the Company's gain realized on the spin-off
          of Eagle Geophysical,  Inc. Includes a discretionary bonus and a bonus
          based on a  subsidiary's  pre-tax  profits for Mr. Simon.  For Messrs.
          Frame and Calvert,  also includes bonuses based on the Company's stock
          performance  of  $79,167  in  1997,   which   represented   the  final
          installment of the bonus.

<F2> (2)  Includes commissions based on sales.

<F3> (3)  Includes   amounts  paid  pursuant  to  the  program  (the  "Incentive
          Compensation  Program") pursuant to which between 2-1/2% and 5% of the
          revenue  generated  annually by seismic  creation  programs  that have
          fully recouped  their direct costs is distributed to certain  officers
          and key  employees,  and  amounts  contributed  by the  Company to its
          401(k)  Savings  Plan (the  "401(k)  Plan")  on  behalf of such  named
          executive  officers  as  discretionary  and  matching   contributions.
          Includes $100,014 contributed by the Company pursuant to its Incentive
          Compensation Program for Messrs.  Frame,  Calvert,  Pearlman and Lawi,
          and $33,755 for Mr. Simon.  Also includes  $4,750  contributed  by the
          Company as 401(k) Plan  matching  contributions  for each of the named
          executive officers.

</FN>
</TABLE>

<PAGE>


     The following table sets forth certain  information with respect to options
to purchase Common Stock granted during the year ended December 31, 1997 to each
of the named executive officers.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                            OPTION/SAR GRANTS IN 1997

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Individual Grants
                         ----------------------------------------------------------
                                            Percent                                           Potential Realizable Value
                           Number of        of Total                                          at Assumed Annual Rates of
                          Securities      Options/SARs                                         Stock Price Appreciation
                          Underlying       Granted to     Exercise                               for Option Term (6)
                         Options/SARs      Employees      or Base       Expiration    -------------------------------------------
 Name                     Granted (#)       in 1997     Price ($/Sh)       Date        0 Percent($)   5 Percent($)   10 Percent($)
- ---------------------    --------------    ----------   ------------    -----------   ------------   -------------   ------------

<S>                          <C>              <C>         <C>            <C>              <C>            <C>            <C>     
Paul A. Frame                57,400 (1)<F1>   1.67        $19.00000      06/05/02               -        $296,673       $673,247
                              7,800 (1)<F1>   0.23        $19.06250      06/05/02          ($488)         $39,827        $90,999
                              7,400 (1)<F1>   0.21        $19.12500      06/05/02          ($925)         $37,322        $85,870
                              4,600 (1)<F1>   0.13        $19.00000      06/06/02               -         $23,775        $53,954
                                800 (1)<F1>   0.02        $18.75000      06/09/02            $200          $4,344         $9,584
                             16,000 (1)<F1>   0.46        $18.50000      06/09/02          $8,000         $90,881       $195,687
                              4,000 (1)<F1>   0.12        $18.43750      06/09/02          $2,250         $22,970        $49,172
                             38,200 (1)<F1>   1.11        $18.37500      06/10/02         $23,875        $222,195       $472,031
                             16,600 (1)<F1>   0.48        $18.25000      06/10/02         $12,450         $98,631       $207,198
                             17,600 (1)<F1>   0.51        $18.37500      06/11/02         $11,000        $102,372       $217,480
                             20,000 (1)<F1>   0.58        $18.31250      06/11/02         $13,750        $117,582       $248,387
                              4,600 (1)<F1>   0.13        $18.25000      06/11/02          $3,450         $27,331        $57,416
                              1,000 (1)<F1>   0.03        $18.25000      06/12/02            $750          $5,942        $12,482
                              8,400 (1)<F1>   0.24        $18.12500      06/12/02          $7,350         $50,960       $105,897
                             10,000 (1)<F1>   0.29        $18.00000      06/12/02         $10,000         $61,916       $127,318
                             34,620 (1)<F1>   1.01        $17.81250      06/13/02         $41,111        $220,845       $447,267
                              1,800 (1)<F1>   0.05        $17.87500      06/13/02          $2,025         $11,370        $23,142
                             49,180 (1)<F1>   1.43        $17.81250      06/13/02         $58,401        $313,725       $635,372
                             17,800 (1)<F1>   0.52        $17.81250      06/16/02         $21,138        $113,754       $229,989
                             20,000 (1)<F1>   0.58        $17.75000      06/16/02         $25,000        $129,063       $259,664
                             19,600 (1)<F1>   0.57        $17.68750      06/16/02         $25,725        $127,707       $255,696
                             13,000 (1)<F1>   0.38        $17.62500      06/16/02         $17,875         $85,516       $170,407
                             60,000 (1)<F1>   1.74        $17.50000      06/16/02         $90,000        $402,190       $793,993
                            200,000 (2)<F2>   5.81        $20.50000      11/20/02       ($75,000)      $1,037,033     $2,382,303
                            300,000 (3)<F3>   8.71        $20.50000      11/20/02      ($112,500)      $1,555,550     $3,573,454
                              1,760 (4)<F4>   0.05        $19.50000      12/10/02        ($1,320)          $7,797        $18,827

Horace A. Calvert           200,000 (2)<F2>   5.81        $20.50000      11/20/02       ($75,000)      $1,037,033     $2,382,303
                             71,082 (4)<F4>   2.06        $19.56250      12/08/02               -        $384,181       $848,940
                              9,600 (4)<F4>   0.28        $19.40625      12/08/02          $1,500         $53,386       $116,154
                              8,200 (4)<F4>   0.24        $19.50000      12/08/02            $513         $44,832        $98,446
                              2,000 (4)<F4>   0.06        $19.56250      12/08/02               -         $10,810        $23,886
                              1,000 (4)<F4>   0.03        $19.37500      12/08/02            $188          $5,592        $12,131
                             24,000 (4)<F4>   0.70        $17.18750      12/08/02         $57,000        $186,714       $343,634
                             39,400 (4)<F4>   1.14        $17.25000      12/08/02         $91,113        $304,060       $561,671
                              1,000 (4)<F4>   0.03        $17.53125      12/08/02          $2,031          $7,436        $13,974
                              1,000 (4)<F4>   0.03        $17.75000      12/08/02          $1,813          $7,217        $13,756
                              3,000 (4)<F4>   0.09        $17.78125      12/08/02          $5,344         $21,558        $41,173
                                200 (4)<F4>   0.01        $17.84375      12/08/02            $344          $1,425         $2,732
                              2,400 (4)<F4>   0.07        $17.90625      12/08/02          $3,975         $16,946        $32,638
                              3,000 (4)<F4>   0.09        $17.96875      12/08/02          $4,781         $20,996        $40,611
                                700 (4)<F4>   0.02        $17.68750      12/08/02          $1,313          $5,096         $9,673
                             10,000 (4)<F4>   0.29        $17.56250      12/08/02         $20,000         $74,048       $139,431
                              2,300 (4)<F4>   0.07        $17.75000      12/08/02          $4,169         $16,600        $31,638
<PAGE>
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                             Individual Grants
                         ----------------------------------------------------------
                                            Percent                                           Potential Realizable Value
                           Number of        of Total                                          at Assumed Annual Rates of
                          Securities      Options/SARs                                         Stock Price Appreciation
                          Underlying       Granted to     Exercise                               for Option Term (6)
                         Options/SARs      Employees      or Base       Expiration    -------------------------------------------
 Name                     Granted (#)       in 1997     Price ($/Sh)       Date        0 Percent($)   5 Percent($)   10 Percent($)
- ---------------------    --------------    ----------   ------------    -----------   ------------   -------------   ------------

<S>                          <C>              <C>         <C>            <C>              <C>            <C>            <C>     
Herbert M. Pearlman          20,000 (1)<F1>   0.58        $20.78125      07/17/02        ($6,250)        $105,858       $246,554
                             13,700 (1)<F1>   0.40        $20.81250      07/17/02        ($4,709)         $72,084       $168,462
                                946 (1)<F1>   0.03        $20.87500      07/17/02          ($384)          $4,918        $11,573
                              6,154 (1)<F1>   0.18        $20.87500      07/17/02        ($2,500)         $32,149        $75,306
                              8,700 (1)<F1>   0.25        $20.25000      07/22/02          $1,903         $50,886       $111,899
                              1,400 (1)<F1>   0.04        $20.28125      07/23/02            $263          $8,145        $17,963
                             10,000 (1)<F1>   0.29        $20.31250      07/23/02          $1,563         $57,865       $127,995
                                100 (1)<F1>   0.00        $20.37500      07/23/02              $9            $572         $1,274
                              9,800 (1)<F1>   0.28        $20.40625      07/29/02            $613         $55,911       $124,531
                             30,000 (1)<F1>   0.87        $20.53125      07/30/02        ($1,875)        $167,779       $373,016
                              7,500 (1)<F1>   0.22        $20.71875      08/22/02        ($6,094)         $34,973        $86,125
                              2,500 (1)<F1>   0.07        $20.71875      08/25/02        ($2,031)         $11,688        $28,712
                             10,074 (1)<F1>   0.29        $20.75000      08/25/02        ($8,500)         $46,782       $115,382
                              1,900 (1)<F1>   0.06        $20.81250      08/25/02        ($1,722)          $8,705        $21,643
                                500 (1)<F1>   0.01        $20.75000      08/26/02          ($422)          $2,322         $5,727
                             12,700 (1)<F1>   0.37        $20.31250      08/28/02        ($5,159)         $64,687       $149,183
                              2,000 (1)<F1>   0.06        $20.25000      08/29/02          ($688)         $10,312        $23,618
                                500 (1)<F1>   0.01        $20.37500      09/02/02           ($16)          $2,795         $6,194
                              9,500 (1)<F1>   0.28        $20.34375      09/02/02               -         $53,396       $117,991
                             10,000 (1)<F1>   0.29        $20.34375      09/03/02               -         $56,206       $124,201
                             35,900 (1)<F1>   1.04        $20.62500      09/04/02               -        $204,569       $452,044
                            200,000 (2)<F2>   5.81        $20.50000      11/20/02       ($75,000)      $1,037,033     $2,382,303

David S. Lawi                20,000 (1)<F1>   0.58        $20.78125      07/17/02        ($6,250)        $105,858       $246,554
                             13,700 (1)<F1>   0.40        $20.81250      07/17/02        ($4,709)         $72,084       $168,462
                                946 (1)<F1>   0.03        $20.87500      07/17/02          ($384)          $4,918        $11,573
                              6,154 (1)<F1>   0.18        $20.87500      07/17/02        ($2,500)         $31,995        $75,288
                              8,700 (1)<F1>   0.25        $20.25000      07/22/02          $1,903         $50,886       $111,899
                              1,400 (1)<F1>   0.04        $20.28125      07/23/02            $263          $8,145        $17,963
                             10,000 (1)<F1>   0.29        $20.31250      07/23/02          $1,563         $57,865       $127,995
                                100 (1)<F1>   0.00        $20.37500      07/23/02              $9            $572         $1,274
                              9,800 (1)<F1>   0.28        $20.40625      07/29/02            $613         $55,911       $124,531
                             30,000 (1)<F1>   0.87        $20.53125      07/30/02        ($1,875)        $167,779       $373,016
                              7,500 (1)<F1>   0.22        $20.71875      08/22/02        ($6,094)         $34,973        $86,125
                              2,500 (1)<F1>   0.07        $20.71875      08/25/02        ($2,031)         $11,688        $28,712
                             10,074 (1)<F1>   0.29        $20.75000      08/25/02        ($8,500)         $46,782       $115,382
                              1,900 (1)<F1>   0.06        $20.81250      08/25/02        ($1,722)          $8,705        $21,643
                                500 (1)<F1>   0.01        $20.75000      08/26/02          ($422)          $2,322         $5,727
                             12,700 (1)<F1>   0.37        $20.31250      08/28/02        ($5,159)         $64,687       $149,183
                              2,000 (1)<F1>   0.06        $20.25000      08/29/02          ($688)         $10,312        $23,618
                                500 (1)<F1>   0.01        $20.37500      09/02/02           ($16)          $2,795         $6,194
                              9,500 (1)<F1>   0.28        $20.34375      09/02/02               -         $53,396       $117,991
                             10,000 (1)<F1>   0.29        $20.34375      09/03/02               -         $56,206       $124,201
                             35,900 (1)<F1>   1.04        $20.62500      09/04/02               -        $204,569       $452,044
                            100,000 (2)<F2>   2.90        $20.50000      11/20/02       ($37,500)        $518,517     $1,191,151

Robert J. Simon II           50,000 (5)<F5>   1.45        $20.50000      11/20/07       ($18,750)        $614,075     $1,584,953

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<FN>
<F1> (1)  These common stock  purchase  warrants were granted under the terms of
          the Company's  1995 Warrant  Reload Plan upon the exercise of the same
          number of previously  granted  warrants  subject to the Warrant Reload
          Plan. The common stock purchase warrants were fully exercisable on the
          date of grant,  and will  expire  on the  expiration  date  indicated,
          subject to certain events related to termination of employment. During
          1997, the Company canceled these warrants and reissued the same number
          of options under the same terms as the original grant.

<F2> (2)  These common stock purchase  warrants (the "Executive  Warrants") were
          granted  pursuant  to  the  1998  Executive   Compensation  Plan  (the
          "Compensation  Plan") which was approved by  stockholders  on November
          20, 1997. The Executive Warrants vested 20% upon stockholder  approval
          with  the  remaining  80%  vesting  on  the  date  three  years  after
          stockholder  approval of the  Compensation  Plan,  or, if earlier,  in
          incremental  installments  of 20% of the total number of option shares
          for each two-point increase in the market price of the Company's stock
          above the  exercise  price  which is  maintained  or  exceeded  for 10
          consecutive  trading days.  The Executive  Warrants will expire on the
          expiration  date  indicated,  subject  to  certain  events  related to
          termination of employment.

<F3> (3)  These  common stock  purchase  warrants  were granted  pursuant to the
          Compensation Plan and vested immediately upon stockholder  approval of
          the Plan. These warrants will expire on the expiration date indicated,
          subject to certain events related to termination of employment.

<F4> (4)  These  options  were  granted  under the terms of the  Company's  1995
          Warrant Reload Plan upon the exercise of the same number of previously
          granted  warrants  subject to the Warrant Reload Plan. On November 20,
          1997,  the  shareholders  of the Company  approved an amendment to the
          Company's  1993  Incentive  Option Plan which  increased the number of
          shares  available  for  granting in order to allow for the granting of
          options to satisfy the Company's  obligations under the Warrant Reload
          Plan.  This will allow the Company to comply with the  requirements of
          Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and therefore maximize tax
          deductibility.  As a result,  these  options  were  granted  under the
          Company's 1993 Incentive Stock Option Plan, as amended, and were fully
          exercisable  on the date of  grant.  The  options  will  expire on the
          expiration  date  indicated,  subject  to  certain  events  related to
          termination of employment.

<F5> (5)  These options were granted under the Company's  1993  Incentive  Stock
          Option  Plan,  as amended,  with 10% of the options  granted  becoming
          exercisable  on the date of grant of November  20,  1997,  and with an
          additional 10% of the options becoming  exercisable on each successive
          anniversary  date for four years,  with full vesting  occurring on the
          fifth  anniversary  date.  The options  were  granted for a term of 10
          years, subject to certain events related to termination of employment.

<F6> (6)  The values shown are based on the  indicated  assumed  annual rates of
          appreciation  compounded  annually.  The actual value an executive may
          realize will depend on the extent to which the stock price exceeds the
          exercise  price of the  options or  warrants on the date the option or
          warrant is exercised.  Accordingly,  the value, if any, realized by an
          executive will not  necessarily  equal any of the amounts set forth in
          the table  above.  These  calculations  are not  intended  to forecast
          possible  future  appreciation,  if any, of the price of the Company's
          Common Stock.
</FN>
</TABLE>
<PAGE>


     The  following  table sets forth  certain  information  with respect to the
exercise of options  during the year ended  December 31, 1997,  and  unexercised
options held at December 31, 1997, and the value  thereof,  by each of the named
executive officers.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                     AGGREGATED OPTION/SAR EXERCISES IN 1997
                         AND 12/31/97 OPTION/SAR VALUES

                                                                 Number of Securities
                              Shares                            Underlying Unexercised           Value of Unexercised In-the
                             Acquired                                Options/SARs                   Money Options/SARs at
                                on                                  at 12/31/97 (#)                      12/31/97 ($)
                             Exercise          Value         ------------------------------    ---------------------------------
 Name                           (#)         Realized ($)     Exercisable     Unexercisable      Exercisable      Unexercisable
- ------------------------    ------------   ---------------   -------------   --------------    ---------------   ---------------

<S>                           <C>            <C>              <C>              <C>               <C>                 <C>     
 Paul A. Frame                447,574        $5,209,582       1,142,155        226,667           $1,600,231          $300,000
 Horace A. Calvert            196,862        $2,597,957         842,155        226,667           $4,413,260          $300,000
 Herbert M. Pearlman          193,874        $2,700,410         597,249        193,333           $1,276,312          $152,083
 David S. Lawi                193,874        $2,700,410         459,059         96,667             $689,342           $76,042
 Robert J. Simon II             5,138          $107,663         106,791         71,667             $646,680           $64,167

</TABLE>

Employment Arrangements

Agreements with Messrs. Frame, Calvert, Pearlman and Lawi

     On  November  20,  1997,  the  stockholders  approved  the  1998  Executive
Compensation  Plan which  relates to  compensation  after  January 1, 1998.  The
employment  arrangements  that had been in place since 1991  between the Company
and Herbert M. Pearlman, Paul A. Frame, Horace A. Calvert and David S. Lawi (the
"Executives"),  for  service  in their  respective  capacities  set forth in the
listing of directors and executive officers have been amended in accordance with
the 1998 Executive  Compensation Plan. As a result of these amendments,  Messrs.
Pearlman, Frame, Calvert and Lawi now receive an annual base salary of $428,435,
$444,878, $444,878, and $214,217, respectively.

     The amended agreements also provide that the Executives shall receive bonus
payments based on the annual Pre-Tax  Profits (the "PTP") of the Company and its
majority-owned  subsidiaries  ("Subsidiaries").  The PTP must exceed $10 million
for fiscal  1998 and each of the four years  thereafter,  $12 million for fiscal
2003 and each of the four years thereafter,  and $14 million for fiscal 2008 and
thereafter  (the "PTP  Threshold").  If the PTP exceeds the PTP  Threshold,  the
Executives  will receive the  following  bonuses  based on the annual PTP of the
Company and its Subsidiaries:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                              Percentage up to               Percentage above
                               $50 Million PTP                $50 Million PTP
                             -------------------            -------------------

<S>                                 <C>                            <C> 
Herbert M. Pearlman*<F1>            5.0%                           5.3%
Paul A. Frame                       4.0%                           4.25%
Horace A. Calvert                   4.0%                           4.25%
David S. Lawi*<F1>                  2.5%                           2.65%

<FN>
<F1> *    The annual bonus payments to Messrs. Pearlman and Lawi will be reduced
          by $300,000 and $150,000, respectively.
</FN>
</TABLE>

     The amended agreements further provide that Messrs. Frame and Calvert shall
receive  annual  bonuses  equal to 1% of the annual sales of the Company and its
Subsidiaries  in excess of $30  million,  provided  that the PTP exceeds the PTP
Threshold.

     Each of the agreements  with Messrs.  Frame and Calvert  provide that if at
any time during the term of such  agreement,  (i) the  employment  agreements of
Messrs.  Pearlman or Lawi are terminated by the Company prior to the stated term
thereof,  or (ii) Messrs.  Pearlman and Lawi resign from the Company's  Board of
Directors prior to the expiration of the term of their employment agreements, or
(iii) the  majority of the members of the  Company's  Board of  Directors  is no
longer nominated and supported by a majority of Messrs. Frame, Calvert, Pearlman
and Lawi  (each a "Change in  Control"),  the  employee  shall have the right to
terminate   the  agreement   immediately   and  receive  from  the  Company  all
compensation  required to be paid during the  unexpired  term thereof as well as
the  severance  payment  described  below  without  any  obligation  to  perform
consulting  services as described below. The Company believes that the Change in
Control  provisions  in these  agreements  may tend to  discourage  attempts  to
acquire a  controlling  interest  in the  Company  and may also tend to make the
removal of management more difficult.

     Each  agreement  is for a term of five  years,  renewable  each year for an
additional  year  unless  either  party to the  agreement  gives  notice  to the
contrary.  Each agreement  provides that if it is not renewed,  the Company will
pay the employee  for two  additional  years'  compensation  including  his then
current base salary plus the average of all bonuses paid to the employee for the
then prior three years. The severance  payments are contingent upon the employee
remaining  available  to  perform  consulting  services  for the  benefit of the
Company.  Each agreement also provides for monthly salary continuation  payments
for one year upon the  employee's  death,  so long as the  agreement  is in full
force  and  effect  at the  time of the  employee's  death.  The  annual  salary
continuation  amount will equal the employee's  base salary at his date of death
plus an average of the bonuses paid for the three previous calendar years.

     Each  agreement  provides  for  certain  noncompetition  and  nondisclosure
covenants of the employee and for certain  Company-paid  fringe benefits such as
an automobile allowance, disability insurance and inclusion in pension, deferred
compensation, profit sharing, stock purchase, savings, hospitalization and other
benefit plans in effect from time to time.

Bonuses Based On Stock Performance

     On July 21, 1992, when the stock price was $2.6875,  the  Compensation  and
Stock Option  Committee and the entire Board of Directors  approved payment of a
one-time  $2,500,000 special shareholder value bonus to be divided among Messrs.
Frame and  Calvert and three  other key  employees  upon the event of the market
price of the Company's stock maintaining or exceeding $10 per share for at least
90  consecutive  days (the "Target  Date") at any time before July 21, 1997. The
Target Date was  achieved in June 1994.  The bonus  vested and was paid  equally
over the 12 quarters following the Target Date.

     On  January  27,  1995,  the  Company's  Board  of  Directors   approved  a
shareholder   value  incentive  bonus  under  which  a  cash  bonus  aggregating
$4,000,000  would be paid to all  salaried  employees if the market price of the
Company's stock reaches $30 per share on or before April 30, 1998, and maintains
that price for at least 90 consecutive  days.  This bonus would be shared by all
salaried  employees on a basis  proportionate to their  respective  compensation
ranking  in the  Company,  and it  would  vest  and be  paid  out in  escalating
quarterly installments over a three-year period, subject to continued employment
with the Company. This shareholder value incentive bonus was approved by Company
Shareholders at the 1995 annual meeting.  As of April 27, 1998, the market price
of the Company's common stock was $15.50 per share.

Directors Compensation

     Outside directors receive an annual fee of $30,000 for serving on the board
and are  reimbursed  for out of  pocket  expenses  for  meeting  attendance.  No
additional fees are paid for serving on committees, except that committee chairs
receive an  additional  $5,000  annually or,  subject to  shareholder  approval,
10,000  options to purchase the Company's  Common Stock.  On July 25, 1996,  the
Company's  Board of  Directors  adopted  the  Non-Employee  Directors'  Deferred
Compensation Plan which permits each  non-employee  director to elect to receive
annual  director  fees in the form of stock  options and to defer receipt of any
directors' fees in a deferred cash account or as deferred shares. As of December
1, 1997,  60,000  shares have been  reserved  for  issuance  under this plan and
directors (including former directors) have accumulated 1,643 deferred shares in
their  accounts which will begin to be distributed in January 1998 in five equal
annual  installments.  Directors  who are also  employees  receive  no  separate
compensation for their services as directors.

     Nonemployee directors also participate in the Non-Employee Directors' Stock
Option Plan (the "Plan"), which was approved by Company Shareholders at the 1994
annual meeting. Under the terms of the Plan, each non-employee director receives
on the date of each  annual  meeting  during  the term of the Plan an  option to
purchase  2,000  shares of Common  Stock at an exercise  price equal to the fair
market  value of the  Common  Stock  on the date of  grant.  In  addition,  each
non-employee  director who is elected or appointed to the Board of Directors for
the first time is granted on the date of such election or  appointment an option
to purchase 10,000 shares of Common Stock at an exercise price equal to the fair
market value of the Common Stock on the date of grant. Options granted under the
Plan become  exercisable one year after the date of grant. All options expire at
the  earlier  of five years  after the date of grant,  twelve  months  after the
optionee ceases to serve as a director due to death,  disability,  or retirement
at or after age 65, or sixty days after the optionee  otherwise  ceases to serve
as a director  of the  Company.  If a  director  ceases to serve as such for any
reason  other than  death,  disability,  or  retirement  at or after age 65, the
option may be exercised only if it was exercisable at the date of such cessation
of service.  During  1997,  William  Lerner and John E.  Stieglitz  were granted
12,000 options each  (including  10,000 for chairing a board  committee),  at an
exercise price of $20.125. In addition, Fred S. Zeidman, who was first appointed
to the Board of Directors on September 5, 1997,  received  10,000  options at an
exercise price of $20.625.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

     The  Company's  Compensation  and Stock  Option  Committee  is  composed of
William Lerner, John E. Stieglitz and Fred S. Zeidman.

     No member of the  Compensation  Committee  of the Board of Directors of the
Company was,  during  1997,  an officer or employee of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries,  or  was  formerly  an  officer  of  the  Company  or  any  of its
subsidiaries,   or  had  any  relationship   requiring  disclosure  pursuant  to
applicable  rules and  regulations of the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission.
During 1997, no executive  officer of the Company  served as (i) a member of the
compensation   committee  (or  other  board  committee   performing   equivalent
functions) of another  entity,  one of whose  executive  officers  served on the
Compensation Committee of the Company, (ii) a director of another entity, one of
whose executive officers served on the Compensation Committee of the Company, or
(iii)  a  member  of  the  compensation  committee  (or  other  board  committee
performing  equivalent  functions)  of another  entity,  one of whose  executive
officers served as a director of the Company.

Item 12.  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

     The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial
ownership of the Common Stock, as of April 15, 1998, by (i) persons known to the
Company to be beneficial  owners of more than 5% of the Common Stock,  (ii) each
of the Company's directors, (iii) each of the named executive officers, and (iv)
all directors and executive officers of the Company as a group.



<PAGE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Name and Address                                              Amount and Nature of
of Beneficial Owner                                          Beneficial Ownership (1)<F2>(2)<F3>     Percentage of Class
- -----------------------------------------------        -----------------------------------        -------------------------

<S>                                                             <C>                                 <C> 
Paul A. Frame, Jr.                                              1,476,919 (3)<F4>                             6.2%
50 Briar Hollow Lane, 7th Floor West
Houston, TX  77027

Horace A. Calvert                                               1,265,349 (4)<F5>                             5.4%
50 Briar Hollow Lane, 7th Floor West
Houston, TX  77027

Driehaus Capital Management, Inc.                               1,241,170                                     5.5%
25 East Erie Street
Chicago, IL 60611

Herbert M. Pearlman                                               846,105 (5)<F6>                             3.7%
537 Steamboat Road
Greenwich, CT 06830

David S. Lawi                                                     562,485 (6)<F7>                             2.4%
537 Steamboat Road
Greenwich, CT  06830

Debra D. Valice                                                   201,811 (7)<F8>                               *<F1>
50 Briar Hollow Lane, 7th Floor West
Houston, TX  77027

Robert J. Simon II                                                166,771 (8)<F9>                               *<F1>
50 Briar Hollow Lane, 7th Floor West
Houston, TX 77027

Walter M. Craig, Jr.                                               62,071 (9)<F10>                              *<F1>
2 Bridge Avenue
Redbank, NJ 07701

William Lerner                                                     23,170 (10)<F11>                             *<F1>
423 East Beau Street
Washington, PA  15301

John E. Stieglitz                                                  14,000 (10)<F11>                             *<F1>
Conspectus, Inc.
222 Purchase Street
Rye, NY  10580

Fred S. Zeidman                                                     8,000                                       *<F1>
2104 Chilton
Houston, TX 77019

All directors and executive officers
  as a group (10 persons)                                       4,626,681 (11)<F12>                          17.8%

<FN>
<F1> *    Less than 1%

<F2> (1)  Except as otherwise  noted,  each named holder has, to the best of the
          Company's knowledge,  sole voting and investment power with respect to
          the shares indicated.

<F3> (2)  Includes  shares  that may be  acquired  within  60 days by any of the
          named persons upon exercise of any right.

<F4> (3)  Includes  228,384 and 930,438  shares  which may be acquired  from the
          Company  within 60 days upon  exercise  of options  and  common  stock
          purchase  warrants,  respectively.  The exercise prices of the options
          range from $2.78 to $21.50 per share,  and the exercise  prices of the
          common stock purchase warrants range from $12.00 to $20.50 per share.

<F5> (4)  Includes  393,404 and 465,418  shares  which may be acquired  from the
          Company  within 60 days upon  exercise  of options  and  common  stock
          purchase  warrants,  respectively.  The exercise prices of the options
          range from $2.78 to $20.50 per share,  and the exercise  prices of the
          common stock purchase warrants range from $6.53 to $20.50 per share.

<F6> (5)  Includes  305,123 and 292,126  shares  which may be acquired  from the
          Company  within 60 days upon  exercise  of options  and  common  stock
          purchase  warrants,  respectively.  The exercise prices of the options
          range from  $12.56 to $21.50,  and the  exercise  prices of the common
          stock purchase warrants range from $12.00 to $20.50 per share.


<PAGE>
<F7> (6)  Includes  271,789 and 187,270  shares  which may be acquired  from the
          Company  within 60 days upon  exercise  of options  and  common  stock
          purchase  warrants,  respectively.  The exercise prices of the options
          range from  $12.56 to $21.50,  and the  exercise  prices of the common
          stock purchase warrants range from $12.00 to $20.50 per share.

<F8> (7)  Includes  110,746 and 42,460  shares  which may be  acquired  from the
          Company  within 60 days upon  exercise  of options  and  common  stock
          purchase  warrants,  respectively.  The exercise prices of the options
          range from $12.56 to $20.50 per share,  and the exercise  price of the
          common stock purchase warrants is $13.56 per share.

<F9> (8)  Includes  38,333  and 68,458  shares  which may be  acquired  from the
          Company  within 60 days upon  exercise  of options  and  common  stock
          purchase warrants. The exercise prices of the options range from $2.69
          to  $20.50  per  share  and the  exercise  price of the  common  stock
          purchase warrants is $12.00 per share.

<F10>(9)  Includes  61,304 shares which may be acquired from the Company  within
          60 days upon exercise of common stock purchase warrants.  The exercise
          prices of the common  stock  purchase  warrants  range from  $16.00 to
          $21.44 per share.

<F11>(10) Includes  14,000 shares which may be acquired from the Company  within
          60 days upon  exercise  of options at  exercise  prices  ranging  from
          $14.56 to $15.25 per share.

<F12>(11) Includes an aggregate of 3,423,253  shares which may be acquired  from
          the  Company  within 60 days upon  exercise of  1,375,779  options and
          2,047,474 common stock purchase warrants,  respectively,  by the group
          of 10 persons which  comprises all executive  officers and  directors.
          The  exercise  prices of the  options  range  from $2.69 to $21.50 per
          share,  and the exercise prices of the common stock purchase  warrants
          range from $6.53 to $21.44 per share.
</FN>
</TABLE>

Item 13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

     On July 21, 1992, the Company granted ten year loans at an interest rate of
4% to most of its employees  for purchases of the Company's  Common Stock at the
then  market  price of $2.6875  per share.  The  Company  recorded  compensation
expense due to the below market interest rate on these loans of $43,000 in 1997.
Payments of 5% of the original  principal  balance plus accrued interest are due
annually  on August 1, with a balloon  payment of the  remaining  principal  and
accrued  interest  due August 1, 2002.  The stock  certificates  are held by the
Company as collateral until payment is received. Loans in excess of $60,000 were
made to  Messrs.  Frame and  Calvert  and Ms.  Valice,  amounting  to  $537,500,
$537,500 and $134,375,  respectively. The largest aggregate amounts of principal
and interest outstanding on such loans during 1997 were approximately  $441,000,
$441,000 and $110,000, respectively. As of April 15, 1998, the aggregate amounts
of principal and interest outstanding on such loans were approximately $414,000,
$414,000 and $103,000, respectively.


<PAGE>


     On August 11, 1997,  the Company's  wholly-owned  seismic data  acquisition
crew subsidiary,  Eagle Geophysical,  Inc., completed an initial public offering
("Offering")  in which the Company  sold  1,880,000 of its  3,400,000  shares of
Eagle common stock as a selling  stockholder.  As of April 15, 1998, the Company
has  17.7%  ownership  interest  in  Eagle.  The  Company  owed  Eagle  and  its
subsidiaries  $12,500,000  at December  31, 1997,  for seismic data  acquisition
services provided to the Company and its subsidiaries subsequent to the Offering
date. The Company  incurred  charges of $22,200,000  for these services from the
period  August 11, 1997  through  December 31,  1997.  Costs  incurred for these
services  were based on agreed upon  contractual  amounts  and terms  similar to
contracts with third party contractors.

     Paul Frame,  the Chief  Executive  Officer,  President  and Director of the
Company,  is also a Director of Eagle and Chairman of the Executive Committee of
Eagle's  Board of  Directors.  In addition to his duties as a director of Eagle,
Mr. Frame has responsibility for strategic planning, marketing, and domestic and
international  growth of Eagle's  business  pursuant to a bonus  agreement  with
Eagle.  The Board of  Directors  of the Company has agreed to allow Mr. Frame to
devote 20% of his time to Eagle until  December 31, 1999.  Pursuant to the bonus
agreement,  Eagle will pay Mr.  Frame  bonuses  each year during the term of the
bonus  agreement equal to 1% of the increases in Eagle's gross revenues for such
year  over  Eagle's  gross  revenues  for the  prior  year  (excluding  revenues
attributable  to  mergers  and  acquisitions  in the  year  of  such  merger  or
acquisition  unless it is the final year of the term of the bonus agreement) and
4% of Eagle's net after tax profits in excess of its 1996 pro forma combined net
after-tax  profits of  $800,000.  The bonus  agreement  with Mr.  Frame  expires
December 31, 1999. Mr. Frame also receives annual director fees and meeting fees
as an outside director of Eagle.

     The Company's  wholly-owned  subsidiary DDD Energy,  Inc.  ("DDD  Energy"),
which acquires and develops non-operating interests in mineral properties,  acts
as managing partner of a general partnership (the "1997 Partnership").  The 1997
Partnership  was  formed to permit  officers,  directors  and  employees  of the
Company and its subsidiaries,  and members of their immediate families,  who are
accredited  investors  to  invest  in  mineral  interests  as  general  partners
("Contributing General Partners") in the 1997 Partnership.  The 1997 Partnership
is a blind pool which invested  partnership funds throughout the year in mineral
interests. Pursuant to the partnership agreement governing the 1997 Partnership,
DDD Energy agreed to use its reasonable efforts to allow the 1997 Partnership to
invest,  along with DDD Energy, in all non-operating  mineral interests in which
DDD Energy  invested  during 1997,  and the 1997  Partnership  was  obligated to
invest in all interests in which DDD Energy  invested (to the extent  allowed by
the sellers of such interests) until funds of the 1997 Partnership  allocated to
acquisitions were exhausted.  Pursuant to the partnership agreement,  the amount
of the investment of the 1997 Partnership equals two and one half percent of the
total  investment in each such mineral interest made by the 1997 Partnership and
DDD  Energy.  DDD Energy  determines  the amount  that it desires to invest in a
particular mineral interest, and then adds the amount to be invested by the 1997
Partnership  to determine  the total level of  investment  by DDD Energy and the
1997  Partnership.  Therefore,  DDD Energy  does not forego any  opportunity  to
invest in  transactions  by  allowing  the 1997  Partnership  to invest with DDD
Energy. All sums required for the 1997 Partnership to acquire such interests and
pay costs related to such interests  thereafter are provided by the Contributing
General  Partners,  and no funds  for the  1997  Partnership's  investments  are
provided by DDD Energy or the Company.  During 1997,  the  Contributing  General
Partners contributed an aggregate of $575,000 to the 1997 Partnership. Horace A.
Calvert,  Herbert  M.  Pearlman,  David S. Lawi,  Robert J.  Simon II,  Debra D.
Valice,  Sheryl Pearlman (wife of Herbert Pearlman),  Julia L. Pearlman,  Lee R.
Pearlman,  Lawrence Marolda,  Nicole E. Lawi and Neil A. Lawi have 17.4%, 16.5%,
13.9%,  5.2%, 4.4%,  4.4%,  1.7%, 1.7%, 1.7%, 1.7% and 1.7% general  partnership
interests, respectively, in the 1997 Partnership.

                                     PART IV

ITEM 14.  EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

     (a)  Documents filed as part of this Report

          (3)  Exhibits:

               3.1  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of the Company  filed May 7,
                    1982 and Amendment to  Certificate  of  Incorporation  filed
                    April 25, 1984 (1)

               3.2  Amendment to  Certificate of  Incorporation  filed August 4,
                    1987 (3) 
<PAGE>

          (3)  Exhibits, continued...

               3.3  Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation  filed January 18,
                    1989 (4)

               3.4  Amendment to  Certificate  of  Incorporation  filed July 13,
                    1989 (5)

               3.5  Amendment to  Certificate of  Incorporation  filed August 3,
                    1993 (11)

               3.6  Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation filed November 21,
                    1997*

               3.7  By-Laws of the Company (1)

               3.8  Corporate Resolution  reflecting an Amendment to the By-Laws
                    of the Company adopted January 6, 1989 (3)

               3.9  Corporate Resolution  reflecting an Amendment to the By-Laws
                    of the Company adopted May 19, 1986 (5)

               4.1  Specimen of Common Stock Certificate (1)

               4.2  Form of Warrant Certificate granted to certain employees and
                    one Director of the Company in December 1990 and expiring in
                    December 2000 (8)

               4.3  Form of Promissory  Note for Employee  Stock  Purchase dated
                    July 21, 1992 (10)

               4.4  Form of  Subscription  Agreement for Employee Stock Purchase
                    dated July 21, 1992 (10)

               4.5  Form of Pledge for Employee  Stock  Purchase  dated July 21,
                    1992 (10)

               4.6  Form of Warrant  Certificate  granted under the 1994 Warrant
                    Plans (14)

               4.7  Form of Warrant  Certificate  granted under the 1995 Warrant
                    Reload Plan (17)

               4.8  Form of  Executive  Warrant  Certificate  granted to certain
                    employees  of the Company in November  1997 and  expiring in
                    November 2002*

               4.9  Form of Bonus Warrant  Certificate granted to an employee of
                    the Company in November 1997 and expiring in November 2002*

               10.1 Incentive Stock Option Plan of the Company (1)

               10.2 Non-Qualified Stock Option Plan of the Company (1)

               10.3 1993 Incentive Stock Option Plan of the Company (11)

               10.4 Amendment  No. 1 to the Seitel,  Inc. 1993  Incentive  Stock
                    Option Plan (16)

               10.5 Statement of Amendments  effective November 29, 1995, to the
                    Seitel, Inc. 1993 Incentive Stock Option Plan (19)

               10.6 Statement of  Amendments  effective  April 22, 1996,  to the
                    Seitel, Inc. 1993 Incentive Stock Option Plan (19)

               10.7 Amendment to the Seitel,  Inc. 1993  Incentive  Stock Option
                    Plan effective December 31, 1996 (21)
<PAGE>

          (3)  Exhibits, continued...

               10.8 Amendment to Limit Options  Granted to a Single  Participant
                    under the Seitel, Inc. 1993 Incentive Stock Option Plan*

               10.9 Amendment  to  Increase  Number  of  Shares   Available  for
                    Granting Options under the Seitel, Inc. 1993 Incentive Stock
                    Option Plan*

              10.10 Non-Employee  Directors'  Stock  Option  Plan of the Company
                    (13)

              10.11 Amendment to the Seitel, Inc. Non-Employee  Directors' Stock
                    Option Plan effective December 31, 1996 (21)

              10.12 Seitel, Inc.  Non-Employee  Directors' Deferred Compensation
                    Plan (19)

              10.13 Seitel,  Inc.  Amended and Restated 1995 Warrant Reload Plan
                    (20)

              10.14 Amendment  to the Seitel,  Inc.  Amended and  Restated  1995
                    Warrant Reload Plan effective December 31, 1996 (21)

              10.15 Memorandum   of   Understanding   between  the  Company  and
                    Triangle Geophysical Company dated as of June 7, 1984 (1)

              10.16 Lease Agreement by and between the Company and  Commonwealth
                    Computer Advisors,  Inc. (2) 10.17 The Company's 401(k) Plan
                    adopted February 27, 1995 (14)

              10.18 The Company's 401(k) Plan adopted January 1, 1998*

              10.19 Executive  Services  Agreement  dated April 3, 1990  between
                    the Company and Helm Resources, Inc. (7)

              10.20 Employment   Agreement  effective  as  of  January  1,  1991
                    between the Company and Paul A. Frame, Jr. (9)

              10.21 Amendment  to  Employment  Agreement  dated  effective as of
                    January 1, 1998 between the Company and Paul A. Frame, Jr.**

              10.22 Employment   Agreement  effective  as  of  January  1,  1991
                    between the Company and Horace A. Calvert (9)

              10.23 Amendment  to  Employment  Agreement  dated  effective as of
                    January 1, 1998 between the Company and Horace A. Calvert**

              10.24 Employment   Agreement  effective  as  of  January  1,  1991
                    between the Company and Herbert M. Pearlman (9)

              10.25 Amendment  to  Employment  Agreement  dated  effective as of
                    January 1, 1998 between the Company and Herbert M. Pearlman*

              10.26 Employment   Agreement  effective  as  of  January  1,  1991
                    between the Company and David S. Lawi (9)

              10.27 Amendment  to  Employment  Agreement  dated  effective as of
                    January 1, 1998 between the Company and David S. Lawi*


<PAGE>
          (3)  Exhibits, continued...

              10.28 Employment Agreement effective as of January 1, 1993 between
                    the Company and Debra D. Valice (12)

              10.29 Amendment  to  Employment  Agreement  dated  effective as of
                    January 1, 1998 between the Company and Debra D. Valice*

              10.30 Joint Venture  Agreement  dated April 5, 1990 by and between
                    Seitel  Offshore  Corp.,  a  wholly-owned  subsidiary of the
                    Company, and Digicon Data Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of
                    Digicon Geophysical Corp. (6)

              10.31 Loan  and  Security  Agreement  dated  as of July  9,  1996,
                    between Seitel  Geophysical,  Inc.  (Company's  wholly-owned
                    subsidiary)  and  NationsBanc  Leasing  Corporation of North
                    Carolina (19)

              10.32 Assumption  and  Consent  dated  December  31,  1996,  among
                    Seitel    Geophysical,    Inc.    (Company's    wholly-owned
                    subsidiary), Eagle Geophysical, Inc. (Company's wholly-owned
                    subsidiary),   NationsBanc   Leasing  Corporation  of  North
                    Carolina, and Seitel, Inc. (21)

              10.33 Revolving  Credit Agreement dated as of July 22, 1996, among
                    Seitel, Inc. and The First National Bank of Chicago (19)

              10.34 First Amendment to Seitel,  Inc.  Revolving Credit Agreement
                    dated as of August 30,  1996 among the Company and The First
                    National Bank of Chicago (20)

              10.35 Second  Amendment to Revolving  Credit Agreement dated as of
                    July 22, 1996,  among  Seitel,  Inc. and The First  National
                    Bank of Chicago (22)

              10.36 Ratable  Note in the  amount of  $20,000,000  among  Seitel,
                    Inc. and Bank One, Texas, N.A. dated as of May 1, 1997 (22)

              10.37 Ratable  Note in the  amount of  $30,000,000  among  Seitel,
                    Inc. and The First  National Bank of Chicago dated as of May
                    1, 1997 (22)

              10.38 Third  Amendment to Revolving  Credit  Agreement dated as of
                    March 16, 1998 among  Seitel,  Inc.  and The First  National
                    Bank of Chicago*

              10.39 Ratable  Note in the  amount of  $40,000,000  among  Seitel,
                    Inc. and The First  National Bank of Chicago dated March 16,
                    1998*

              10.40 Ratable  Note in the  amount of  $35,000,000  among  Seitel,
                    Inc. and Bank One, Texas, N.A. dated as of March 16, 1998*

              10.41 Loan and  Security  Agreement  dated as of February 6, 1997,
                    between  Eagle  Geophysical,  Inc.  (Company's  wholly-owned
                    subsidiary),    Seitel   Geophysical,    Inc.,    (Company's
                    wholly-owned    subsidiary),    and   NationsBanc    Leasing
                    Corporation of North Carolina (21)

              10.42 Incentive Compensation Agreement (10)

              10.43 Shareholder Value Bonus Agreement  effective as of March 18,
                    1994 (13)

              10.44 Amendment to Shareholder Value Bonus Agreement  effective as
                    of March 18, 1994 (15)

              10.45 Seitel,  Inc. 1995  Shareholder  Value  Incentive Bonus Plan
                    (16) (3) Exhibits, continued...

              10.46 Terms  Agreement  dated July 28,  1994,  between the Company
                    and Bear, Stearns & Co., Inc. (13)

              10.47 Note  Purchase  Agreement  dated as of  December  28,  1995,
                    between the Company and the Series A Purchasers,  the Series
                    B Purchasers and the Series C Purchasers (18)

               21.1 Subsidiaries of the Registrant *

               23.1 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP *

               23.2 Consent of Miller and Lents, Ltd.*

               23.3 Consent   of   Forrest   A.   Garb   &   Associates,   Inc.*

               ---------------------- 
               *    Filed with the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
                    year ended December 31, 1997

               **   Filed herewith
<PAGE>



          (3)  Exhibits, continued...

               (1)  Incorporated  by  reference  to the  Company's  Registration
                    Statement,  as amended,  on Form S-1,  No.  2-92572 as filed
                    with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  on August 3,
                    1984.

               (2)  Incorporated by reference to Post-Effective  Amendment No. 2
                    to the  Company's  Registration  Statement on Form S-2, File
                    No.  33-32838,  as filed with the  Securities  and  Exchange
                    Commission on October 10, 1991.

               (3)  Incorporated  by  reference  to the  Company's  Registration
                    Statement,  as amended,  on Form S-2, No.  33-21300 as filed
                    with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission  on April 18,
                    1988.

               (4)  Incorporated by reference to the Company's  Annual Report on
                    Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1988.

               (5)  Incorporated by reference to the Company's  Annual Report on
                    Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1989.

               (6)  Incorporated  by reference to the Company's  Form 8 amending
                    the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                    December 31, 1989.

               (7)  Incorporated  by  reference  to the  Company's  Registration
                    Statement,  as amended,  on Form S-2, No.  33-34217 as filed
                    with the Commission on April 6, 1990.

               (8)  Incorporated by reference to the Company's  Annual Report on
                    Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1990.

               (9)  Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form 10-Q for the
                    quarter ended June 30, 1991.

               (10) Incorporated by reference to the Company's  Annual Report on
                    Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1992.

               (11) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form 10-Q for the
                    quarter ended June 30, 1993.

               (12) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form 10-Q for the
                    quarter ended September 30, 1993.

               (13) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form 10-Q for the
                    quarter ended June 30, 1994.

               (14) Incorporated  by  reference  to the  Company's  Registration
                    Statement  on Form  S-8,  No.  33-89934  as  filed  with the
                    Securities and Exchange Commission on March 2, 1995.

               (15) Incorporated by reference to the Company's  Annual Report on
                    Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1994.

               (16) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form 10-Q for the
                    quarter ended June 30, 1995.

               (17) Incorporated  by  reference  to the  Company's  Registration
                    Statement  on Form  S-8,  No.  333-01271  as filed  with the
                    Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 1996. (3)
                    Exhibits, continued...

               (18) Incorporated by reference to the Company's  Annual Report on
                    Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995.

               (19) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form 10-Q for the
                    quarter ended June 30, 1996.

               (20) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form 10-Q for the
                    quarter ended September 30, 1996.

               (21) Incorporated by reference to the Company's  Annual Report on
                    Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996.

               (22) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Form 10-Q for the
                    quarter ended March 31, 1997.





<PAGE>



                                    SIGNATURE




     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  amendment  to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas,
on the 28th of April 1998.



                                 SEITEL, INC.




                                 By:  /s/ Paul A. Frame
                                         --------------------------------------
                                          Paul A. Frame
                                          President and Chief Executive Officer













<PAGE>





                                     EXHIBIT
                                      INDEX
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       Page
Exhibit    Title                                                       Number
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10.21      Amendment to Employment  Agreement  dated 
           effective as of January 1, 1998 between the                   22
           Company and Paul A. Frame, Jr.

10.23      Amendment to Employment  Agreement  dated 
           effective as of January 1, 1998 between the                   26
           Company and Horace A. Calvert





                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.21

                                                                                

                                  SEITEL, INC.
                         EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT AMENDMENT


     THIS EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT  AMENDMENT (this "Agreement") is between Seitel,
Inc.  (the  "Company"),  a  Delaware  corporation  with its  principal  place of
business in Houston,  Texas, and Paul A. Frame (the "Employee," and collectively
with the Company, the "Parties"), and is an amendment to that certain Employment
Agreement  between the Company and the Employee dated effective  January 1, 1991
(the "Employment Agreement").

                                    Recitals

     WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee entered into the Employment Agreement
to govern the terms of the Employee's employment by the Company;

     WHEREAS,  the Employment  Agreement was entered into prior to the enactment
of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),
which section limits the  deductibility by corporations of certain  compensation
expenses;

     WHEREAS,  the  compensation  payable to the Employee  under the  Employment
Agreement will become subject to the  restrictions of Section 162(m) of the Code
beginning January 1, 1998;

     WHEREAS,  the  Company  proposed,  and  its  shareholders  approved  at the
Company's annual  shareholders'  meeting,  the 1998 Executive  Compensation Plan
(the  "Plan"),  the  purpose  of which  was to cause  the  compensation  paid to
Employee after January 1, 1998 to comply with the deductibility  restrictions of
Section 162(m) of the Code;

     WHEREAS,  the Employee and the Company are entering into this  Agreement to
amend  the  Employment   Agreement  to  incorporate   therein  the  compensation
provisions approved by the Company's shareholders as set forth in the Plan;

     NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties do hereby agree as follows:

     1.   Compensation.  Section 3 of the Employment Agreement is hereby amended
          by  deleting  the  existing  Section  3  and  replacing  it  with  the
          following:

          "3.  Compensation:

               (a) Base Salary. For services rendered by the Employee under this
          Agreement, the Company shall pay the Employee an annual base salary of
          $444,878  in  twenty-four  (24)  bi-monthly  installments  (the  "Base
          Salary").

               (b)  Pre-Tax  Profits  Bonus.  Commencing  January 1,  1998,  the
          Employee  shall receive  bonus  payments  based on the annual  Pre-Tax
          Profits (the "PTP") of the Company and its majority owned subsidiaries
          ("Subsidiaries").  If the PTP exceeds the PTP  Threshold  (hereinafter
          defined), Employee shall receive a pre-tax profits bonus equal to 4.0%
          of PTP for PTP up to $50 million and 4.25% of PTP for PTP in excess of
          $50 million.

               The PTP must equal or exceed ten million dollars ($10,000,000.00)
          for  fiscal  year 1998 and each of the four years  thereafter,  twelve
          million dollars  ($12,000,000.00) for fiscal year 2003 and each of the
          four years thereafter,  and fourteen million dollars  ($14,000,000.00)
          for fiscal year 2008 and  thereafter  (the "PTP  Threshold").  The PTP
          shall be computed as follows:

                    (i)  Any  bonuses  paid to  Company  employees  (other  than
               bonuses paid to the Employee,  Messrs. Horace A. Calvert, Herbert
               M.  Pearlman  and David S.  Lawi  (collectively,  the  "Executive
               Group")  and  bonuses  paid to  other  employees  of the  Company
               aggregating up to 2% of PTP) shall be deducted before any bonuses
               payable to the Executive Group are calculated;

                    (ii) Any  Sales  Bonuses  payable  to the  Employee  and Mr.
               Calvert under  Section 3(c) hereof or the similar  section of Mr.
               Calvert's  employment  agreement,  as amended,  shall be deducted
               before  any  bonuses   payable   under  this   Section  3(b)  are
               calculated;

                    (iii) Any  bonuses  payable to any  member of the  Executive
               Group  under  this  Section  3(b) or the  similar  section of his
               employment  agreement or bonuses  paid to other  employees of the
               Company  aggregating  up to 2% of PTP shall not be deducted  from
               pre-tax  profits in order to calculate  the bonus  payable to any
               other  member of the  Executive  Group under this Section 3(b) or
               the similar  section of such member's  employment  agreement,  as
               amended;

                    (iv)  The  annual  pre-tax  profits   calculation  shall  be
               reviewed by the  Company's  outside  auditors and approved by the
               Company's  Compensation  Committee before any bonuses are paid to
               the members of the Executive Group;

                    (v) Any  payments to the Employee by any company that is not
               a  wholly-owned  Subsidiary  of the Company but whose profits are
               included  in the  Company's  pre-tax  profits  calculation  shall
               reduce the Company's  pre-tax profits for purposes of calculating
               any percent of Company  pre-tax  profits payable to the Employee;
               and

                    (vi) PTP shall be determined in  accordance  with  generally
               accepted  accounting  principles  and will  mean,  subject to the
               foregoing  subparagraphs (i)-(v), the consolidated profits of the
               Company before payment of (A) all local, state and federal income
               taxes or (B) the  payment  of any  severance,  buy-out  or salary
               continuation  payments  to Messrs.  Pearlman  or Lawi,  but after
               deduction  for: (X) all expenses of any  subsidiary  companies or
               divisions  allocable  to such  year;  and (Y) the  payment of any
               management  fee incurred for carrying out the  activities  of the
               Company.

               (c) Sales Bonus.  Commencing  January 1, 1998,  the Company shall
          pay the Employee a bonus equal to 1% of the consolidated  sales of the
          Company and its  Subsidiaries in excess of $30 million,  provided that
          the PTP  exceeds  the PTP  Threshold.  The  Company  may,  in its sole
          discretion,  advance  monthly to  Employee  any  amounts  which  would
          otherwise be due to Employee  under this  paragraph  (c) assuming that
          the PTP Threshold for such year is achieved.

               (d)  Payment of  Bonuses.  The  Company  shall pay  Employee  the
          Bonuses due  hereunder no later than March 15th of the year  following
          the year in which it is earned,  provided,  however,  that  before the
          Company is obligated to make any payments of Bonuses under  Paragraphs
          (b) or (c), the Company's  Compensation Committee shall certify to the
          Board  of  Directors  of the  Company  that  the  material  terms  and
          performance goals hereunder have been met, which  determination  shall
          be made by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion.

               (e) Salary Continuation  Benefits.  The Company will pay, so long
          as the Employee's Employment  Agreement,  as amended, is in full force
          and effect on the date of his  death,  a monthly  salary  continuation
          amount to the  Employee's  estate or his  designee,  for twelve months
          beginning  on the date of his death.  The annual  salary  continuation
          amount will equal the Employee's base salary at his date of death plus
          an average of the bonuses  paid to the Employee by the Company for the
          three calendar years preceding the year of his death."

     2.   Termination.  Paragraph  13(b) of the  Employment  Agreement is hereby
          amended by inserting at the end thereof the following sentence:

               "Employee  shall have no  obligation  to provide  the  Consulting
               Services  to  the  Company   under  Section  2  hereof  upon  any
               termination pursuant to this Paragraph 13(b)."

     3.   Amendment of Employment  Agreement.  This Agreement is executed as and
          shall constitute an amendment to the Employment  Agreement,  and shall
          be  construed  in  connection  with  and as a part  of the  Employment
          Agreement.  Except as specifically  amended by this Agreement,  all of
          the terms and provisions of the Employment  Agreement  shall remain in
          full force and effect.  In the event of any conflict between the terms
          of the Employment Agreement and the terms of this Agreement, the terms
          of this Agreement shall apply.

     4.   Controlling   Law.  The  execution,   validity,   interpretation   and
          performance of this Agreement  shall be determined and governed by the
          laws of the State of Texas,  and,  in any  action  by the  Company  to
          enforce this Agreement, venue may be had in Harris County, Texas.

     5.   Entire  Agreement.  The  Employment  Agreement,  as  amended  by  this
          Agreement,   contains  the  entire  agreement  of  the  Parties.   The
          Employment  Agreement and this  Agreement may not be changed orally or
          by action or inaction,  but only by an agreement in writing  signed by
          the  Party   against   whom   enforcement   of  any  waiver,   change,
          modification, extension or discharge is sought.

     6.   Severability.  If any  provision  of this  Agreement  is  rendered  or
          declared  illegal  or  unenforceable  by  reason  of any  existing  or
          subsequently  enacted  legislation  or by  decree  of a court  of last
          resort,  the Parties  shall  promptly  meet and  negotiate  substitute
          provisions  for those rendered or declared  illegal or  unenforceable,
          but all remaining  provisions of this  Agreement  shall remain in full
          force and effect.

     7.   Execution.  This  Agreement may be executed in multiple  counterparts,
          each of which  shall be  deemed  an  original  and all of which  shall
          constitute one instrument.


          EXECUTED to be effective as of the 1st day of January, 1998.


                                             SEITEL, INC.



                                             By: Herbert M. Pearlman
                                             ----------------------------------
                                             Name: Herbert M. Pearlman
                                             Title: Chairman of the Board


                                             /s/ Paul A. Frame
                                             ----------------------------------
                                             PAUL A. FRAME




                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.23

                                  SEITEL, INC.
                         EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT AMENDMENT


     THIS EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT AMENDMENT ( this "Agreement") is between Seitel,
Inc.  (the  "Company"),  a  Delaware  corporation  with its  principal  place of
business  in  Houston,  Texas,  and  Horace  A.  Calvert  (the  "Employee,"  and
collectively  with the  Company,  the  "Parties"),  and is an  amendment to that
certain  Employment  Agreement  between  the  Company  and  the  Employee  dated
effective January 1, 1991 (the "Employment Agreement").

                                    Recitals

     WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee entered into the Employment Agreement
to govern the terms of the Employee's employment by the Company;

     WHEREAS,  the Employment  Agreement was entered into prior to the enactment
of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),
which section limits the  deductibility by corporations of certain  compensation
expenses;

     WHEREAS,  the  compensation  payable to the Employee  under the  Employment
Agreement will become subject to the  restrictions of Section 162(m) of the Code
beginning January 1, 1998;

     WHEREAS,  the  Company  proposed,  and  its  shareholders  approved  at the
Company's annual  shareholders'  meeting,  the 1998 Executive  Compensation Plan
(the  "Plan"),  the  purpose  of which  was to cause  the  compensation  paid to
Employee after January 1, 1998 to comply with the deductibility  restrictions of
Section 162(m) of the Code;

     WHEREAS,  the Employee and the Company are entering into this  Agreement to
amend  the  Employment   Agreement  to  incorporate   therein  the  compensation
provisions approved by the Company's shareholders as set forth in the Plan;

     NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties do hereby agree as follows:

     1.   Compensation.  Section 3 of the Employment Agreement is hereby amended
          by  deleting  the  existing  Section  3  and  replacing  it  with  the
          following:

          "3.  Compensation:

               (a) Base Salary. For services rendered by the Employee under this
          Agreement, the Company shall pay the Employee an annual base salary of
          $444,878  in  twenty-four  (24)  bi-monthly  installments  (the  "Base
          Salary").

               (b)  Pre-Tax  Profits  Bonus.  Commencing  January 1,  1998,  the
          Employee  shall receive  bonus  payments  based on the annual  Pre-Tax
          Profits (the "PTP") of the Company and its majority owned subsidiaries
          ("Subsidiaries").  If the PTP exceeds the PTP  Threshold  (hereinafter
          defined), Employee shall receive a pre-tax profits bonus equal to 4.0%
          of PTP for PTP up to $50 million and 4.25% of PTP for PTP in excess of
          $50 million.

               The PTP must equal or exceed ten million dollars ($10,000,000.00)
          for  fiscal  year 1998 and each of the four years  thereafter,  twelve
          million dollars  ($12,000,000.00) for fiscal year 2003 and each of the
          four years thereafter,  and fourteen million dollars  ($14,000,000.00)
          for fiscal year 2008 and  thereafter  (the "PTP  Threshold").  The PTP
          shall be computed as follows:

                    (i)  Any  bonuses  paid to  Company  employees  (other  than
               bonuses paid to the Employee,  Messrs. Paul A. Frame,  Herbert M.
               Pearlman and David S. Lawi (collectively,  the "Executive Group")
               and bonuses paid to other employees of the Company aggregating up
               to 2% of PTP) shall be deducted before any bonuses payable to the
               Executive Group are calculated;

                    (ii) Any Sales Bonuses payable to the Employee and Mr. Frame
               under Section 3(c) hereof or the similar  section of Mr.  Frame's
               employment  agreement,  as amended,  shall be deducted before any
               bonuses payable under this Section 3(b) are calculated;

                    (iii)Any  bonuses  payable  to any  member of the  Executive
               Group  under  this  Section  3(b) or the  similar  section of his
               employment  agreement or bonuses  paid to other  employees of the
               Company  aggregating  up to 2% of PTP shall not be deducted  from
               pre-tax  profits in order to calculate  the bonus  payable to any
               other  member of the  Executive  Group under this Section 3(b) or
               the similar  section of such member's  employment  agreement,  as
               amended;

                    (iv)  The  annual  pre-tax  profits   calculation  shall  be
               reviewed by the  Company's  outside  auditors and approved by the
               Company's  Compensation  Committee before any bonuses are paid to
               the members of the Executive Group;

                    (v) Any  payments to the Employee by any company that is not
               a  wholly-owned  Subsidiary  of the Company but whose profits are
               included  in the  Company's  pre-tax  profits  calculation  shall
               reduce the Company's  pre-tax profits for purposes of calculating
               any percent of Company  pre-tax  profits payable to the Employee;
               and

                    (vi) PTP shall be determined in  accordance  with  generally
               accepted  accounting  principles  and will  mean,  subject to the
               foregoing  subparagraphs (i)-(v), the consolidated profits of the
               Company before payment of (A) all local, state and federal income
               taxes or (B) the  payment  of any  severance,  buy-out  or salary
               continuation  payments  to Messrs.  Pearlman  or Lawi,  but after
               deduction  for: (X) all expenses of any  subsidiary  companies or
               divisions  allocable  to such  year;  and (Y) the  payment of any
               management  fee incurred for carrying out the  activities  of the
               Company.

               (c) Sales Bonus.  Commencing  January 1, 1998,  the Company shall
          pay the Employee a bonus equal to 1% of the consolidated  sales of the
          Company and its  Subsidiaries in excess of $30 million,  provided that
          the PTP  exceeds  the PTP  Threshold.  The  Company  may,  in its sole
          discretion,  advance  monthly to  Employee  any  amounts  which  would
          otherwise be due to Employee  under this  paragraph  (c) assuming that
          the PTP Threshold for such year is achieved.

               (d)  Payment of  Bonuses.  The  Company  shall pay  Employee  the
          Bonuses due  hereunder no later than March 15th of the year  following
          the year in which it is earned,  provided,  however,  that  before the
          Company is obligated to make any payments of Bonuses under  Paragraphs
          (b) or (c), the Company's  Compensation Committee shall certify to the
          Board  of  Directors  of the  Company  that  the  material  terms  and
          performance goals hereunder have been met, which  determination  shall
          be made by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion.

               (e) Salary Continuation  Benefits.  The Company will pay, so long
          as the Employee's Employment  Agreement,  as amended, is in full force
          and effect on the date of his  death,  a monthly  salary  continuation
          amount to the  Employee's  estate or his  designee,  for twelve months
          beginning  on the date of his death.  The annual  salary  continuation
          amount will equal the Employee's base salary at his date of death plus
          an average of the bonuses  paid to the Employee by the Company for the
          three calendar years preceding the year of his death."

     2.  Termination.  Paragraph  13(b) of the  Employment  Agreement  is hereby
amended by inserting at the end thereof the following sentence:

          "Employee shall have no obligation to provide the Consulting  Services
          to the Company under Section 2 hereof upon any termination pursuant to
          this Paragraph 13(b)."

     3.  Amendment of Employment  Agreement.  This  Agreement is executed as and
shall  constitute  an  amendment  to the  Employment  Agreement,  and  shall  be
construed in connection with and as a part of the Employment  Agreement.  Except
as specifically  amended by this  Agreement,  all of the terms and provisions of
the Employment  Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. In the event of
any conflict between the terms of the Employment Agreement and the terms of this
Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall apply.

     4. Controlling Law. The execution, validity, interpretation and performance
of this  Agreement  shall be determined and governed by the laws of the State of
Texas, and, in any action by the Company to enforce this Agreement, venue may be
had in Harris County, Texas.

     5.  Entire  Agreement.   The  Employment  Agreement,  as  amended  by  this
Agreement,  contains  the  entire  agreement  of  the  Parties.  The  Employment
Agreement and this Agreement may not be changed orally or by action or inaction,
but only by an agreement in writing signed by the Party against whom enforcement
of any waiver, change, modification, extension or discharge is sought.

     6. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is rendered or declared
illegal or  unenforceable  by reason of any  existing  or  subsequently  enacted
legislation  or by decree of a court of last resort,  the Parties shall promptly
meet and negotiate substitute  provisions for those rendered or declared illegal
or unenforceable, but all remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect.

     7. Execution. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each
of which  shall be deemed an  original  and all of which  shall  constitute  one
instrument.



<PAGE>
     EXECUTED to be effective as of the 1st day of January, 1998.


                                             SEITEL, INC.



                                             By: Herbert M. Pearlman
                                             ----------------------------------
                                             Name: Herbert M. Pearlman
                                             Title: Chairman of the Board


                                             /s/ Horace A. Calvert
                                             ----------------------------------
                                             HORACE A. CALVERT



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