EXHIBIT 10.80

                              TRITON ENERGY LIMITED
                              ---------------------

                 EMPLOYEE'S NON-QUALIFIED STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT
                 -----------------------------------------------

     1.     Grant  of  Option.  Pursuant  to  the  Triton  Energy  Limited
            -----------------
_______________________  Plan  (as  amended,  the  "Plan"),  for  employees  and
directors of Triton Energy Limited, a Cayman Islands company (the "Company"), or
any  of  its  Subsidiaries,  the  Company  grants  to

                          _____________________________
                             (Name of Option Holder)

an option to purchase from the Company a total of _________ full Ordinary Shares
("Optioned  Shares"),  $.01  par  value  ("Ordinary  Shares"), of the Company at
$__________  per  share  (being  at least the fair market value per share of the
Ordinary  Shares  on this Date of Grant), in the amounts, during the periods and
upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.  The Date of Grant of
this  Stock  Option  is  __________________.

     2.          Time  of  Exercise.
                 ------------------

     (a)     Except  only  as specifically provided elsewhere in this Agreement,
this  Stock  Option  is  exercisable  in  the following cumulative installments:

     First  installment.  Up to 33-1/3% of the total Optioned Shares at any time
     ------------------
     on  and  after  the  first  anniversary  of  the  Date  of  Grant.

     Second  installment.  Up  to  an  additional  33 1/3% of the total Optioned
     -------------------
     Shares at any time on and after the second anniversary of the Date of
     Grant.

     Third  installment.  Up  to  an  additional  33  1/3% of the total Optioned
     ------------------
     Shares at any time on and after the third anniversary of the Date of Grant.

No  part  of  this  Stock Option may be exercised after 5:00 p.m., Dallas, Texas
time,  on  _______________________.

     (b)     Notwithstanding  the  foregoing  paragraph (a), in the event of the
Option Holder's death while employed or termination of employment as a result of
Retirement  or  Disability,  all  unmatured  installments  of  Stock  Options
outstanding  shall  automatically  be accelerated and exercisable in full by the
Option  Holder  or  his  representative  as  set  forth  in  Section  5  hereof.

     3.     Subject  to Plan.  This Stock Option and its exercise are subject to
            ----------------
the  terms and conditions of the Plan. The Option Holder acknowledges receipt of
a copy of the Plan and the Plan is incorporated herein by reference. The defined
terms  used  herein  that  are  defined in the Plan shall have the same meanings
assigned  to  them in the Plan. In addition, this Stock Option is subject to any
rules  promulgated  pursuant  to  the  Plan  by  the  Board or the Committee and
communicated  to  the  Option  Holder  in  writing.

     4.     Term.  Subject  to  Articles  VII  and  VIII  of the Plan (including
            ----
regarding  termination  for  Cause),  this  Stock Option, or applicable portions
thereof,  will    terminate  as  follows:

     (a)     This  Stock Option will terminate at 5:00 p.m., Dallas, Texas time,
on  _______________.

     (b)     Notwithstanding  the  foregoing  paragraph  (a),  this Stock Option
shall  terminate  at 5:00 p.m., Dallas, Texas time, on the date indicated below:

     (i)     the  date  which  is twelve (12) months following the date that the
Option  Holder's employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries terminates due
to  Disability  or  Retirement;

     (ii)     the  date  which  is  three (3) months following the date that the
Option  Holder's employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries terminates for
any  reason  other  than  death,  Disability  or  Retirement;  or

          (iii)     the  date  which  is three (3) years following the date that
the  Option Holder's employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries terminates
due  to  the  Option  Holder's  death;

     provided  that  in  no  event may this Stock Option be exercised after 5:00
p.m.,  Dallas,  Texas  time,  on  _______________________.

     5.     Who  May  Exercise.  During  the lifetime of the Option Holder, this
            ------------------
Stock  Option  may  be  exercised  only  by  the Option Holder, or by the Option
Holder's  guardian,  or  by  any  permitted  transferee.  If the Option Holder's
employment  terminates  as  a result of death, Disability or Retirement prior to
the termination dates specified in Section 4(a) hereof and this Stock Option has
not theretofore been exercised as to the percentage of Optioned Shares set forth
in  Section  2  hereof  as  of  the date of death, Disability or Retirement, the
following  persons  may exercise the exercisable portion of this Stock Option as
set  forth  in Section 2 hereof on behalf of the Option Holder at any time prior
to  the  earlier  of the dates specified in Sections 4(a) and (b) hereof: (i) if
the Option Holder is disabled or has retired, the Option Holder or his guardian;
or (ii) if the Option Holder dies, the personal representative of his estate, or
the  person  who  acquired the right to exercise this Stock Option by bequest or
inheritance  or  by  reason  of  the death of the Option Holder, or by permitted
assignment;  provided  that  this Stock Option shall remain subject to the other
terms  of this Agreement, the Plan, and applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

     6.     Restrictions  on  Exercise.  This Stock Option may be exercised only
            --------------------------
with  respect  to  full  shares,  and  no  fractional  share  shall  be  issued.

     7.     Manner  of  Exercise.  Subject to such administrative regulations as
            --------------------
the Board or the Committee may from time to time adopt, this Stock Option may be
exercised  only upon written notice to the Company of the number of shares being
purchased  accompanied  by  the  following:

          (a)     Full  payment  of  the  option  price  for  the  shares  being
purchased;

          (b)     Such  other  documents  as the Company in its discretion deems
necessary  to  evidence the exercise, in whole or in part, of this Stock Option.

     Full  payment for shares purchased upon exercise of a Stock Option shall be
made  either  in  (i)  cash,  (ii)  by  certified  or  cashier's check, (iii) if
permitted  by  the  Committee,  by  Ordinary  Shares,  (iv)  if permitted by the
Committee,  and  if  permitted  under  applicable  law,  by cash or certified or
cashier's  check  for the par value of the shares plus a promissory note for the
balance  of  the  purchase  price,  which  note  shall provide for full personal
liability  of the maker and shall contain such other terms and provisions as the
Committee  may  determine,  including  without limitation the right to repay the
note  partially  or wholly with Ordinary Shares, or (v) by delivery of a copy of
irrevocable  instructions  from  the  Option  Holder  to  a  broker  or  dealer,
reasonably  acceptable  to  the Company, to sell certain of the shares purchased
upon exercise of the Stock Option or to pledge them as collateral for a loan and
promptly deliver to the Company the amount of sale or loan proceeds necessary to
pay  such  purchase price.  If any portion of the purchase price or a note given
at the time of exercise is paid in Ordinary Shares, those shares shall be valued
at  the  then  Fair  Market  Value.

     8.     Assignability.  This  Stock  Option  shall  not  be  assignable  or
            -------------
transferable  by the Option Holder, except (i) by will or by the laws of descent
and  distribution,  (ii) pursuant to the terms of a domestic relations order (as
defined  by  the  Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986, as amended, or Title I of the
Employee  Retirement  Income  Security  Act  of  1974,  as amended, or the rules
thereunder),  or (iii) to members of the Option Holder's immediate family (i.e.,
parents,  children,  grandchildren  or  spouse),  trusts for the benefit of such
immediate  family  members,  and  partnerships  in  which  such immediate family
members  are  partners;  provided  that any such transfer shall be in accordance
with  all  applicable laws, rules and regulations; and provided further that the
provisions  of this Stock Option Agreement and the Plan that are governed by the
Option  Holder's  employment  status  with  the Company shall continue in effect
notwithstanding  any  such  transfer.

     9.     Rights  as  Shareholder.  The Option Holder will have no rights as a
            -----------------------
shareholder  with  respect  to any shares covered by this Stock Option until the
issuance  of  a certificate or certificates to the Option Holder for the shares.
Except  as  otherwise provided in Section 10 hereof, no adjustment shall be made
for dividends or other rights for which the record date is prior to the issuance
of  such  certificate  or  certificates.

     10.     Adjustment  of  Number  of  Shares and Related Matters.  The Option
             ------------------------------------------------------
Holder  understands  that  in  the  event  of  a  Change  of  Control,  merger,
consolidation,  reorganization,  recapitalization  of  the  Company,  or  the
declaration  of  a  stock  dividend, the number of shares which may be purchased
upon  exercise  of  this  Stock  Option granted hereunder, the time at which any
Stock  Option may be exercisable, and the exercise price thereof may be adjusted
in  accordance  with  the  Plan.

     11.     Option  Holder's  Representations.  Notwithstanding  any  of  the
             ---------------------------------
provisions hereof, the Option Holder hereby agrees that he will not exercise the
Stock Option granted hereby, and that the Company will not be obligated to issue
any  shares  to  the  Option  Holder  hereunder,  if the exercise thereof or the
issuance of such shares shall constitute a violation by the Option Holder or the
Company  of any provision of any law or regulation of any governmental authority
or shall not be in compliance with the listing requirements of a stock exchange.
Any  determination  in this connection by the Board shall be final, binding, and
conclusive.  The  obligations of the Company and the rights of the Option Holder
are  subject  to  all  applicable laws, rules and regulations including, without
limitation,  the  1934  Act,  the  Code,  any  successors thereto, and any other
applicable  laws.

     12.     Investment Representation. Unless the Ordinary Shares are issued to
             -------------------------
him  in  a  transaction registered under applicable Federal and State securities
laws,  by his or her execution hereof, the Option Holder represents and warrants
to the Company that all Ordinary Shares which may be purchased hereunder will be
acquired by the Option Holder for investment purposes for his or her own account
and  not  with  any intent for resale or distribution in violation of Federal or
State  securities  laws.  Unless  the  Ordinary  Shares  are  issued to him in a
transaction  registered  under applicable Federal and State securities laws, all
certificates  issued  with  respect  to  the  Ordinary  Shares  shall  bear  an
appropriate  restrictive  investment  legend.

     13.     Law  Governing.  This  Agreement is intended to be performed in the
             --------------
State  of  Texas  and  shall  be  construed  and enforced in accordance with and
governed  by  the  laws  of  Texas.

     14.     No  Right to Continue Employment. Nothing in this Agreement confers
             --------------------------------
upon the Option Holder the right to continue in the employ of the Company or any
Subsidiary  or  interferes with or restricts in any way the right of the Company
or  any  Subsidiary  to  discharge the Option Holder at any time (subject to any
contract  rights  of  the  Option  Holder).

     15.     Invalidity  of  Provision.  The  invalidity  or unenforceability of
             -------------------------
any  provision  of  this  Agreement  in  any  jurisdiction  shall not affect the
validity  or  enforceability  of  the  remainder  of  this  Agreement  in  that
jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of this Agreement, including that
provision,  in any other jurisdiction.  If any provision of this Agreement shall
be  adjudged unreasonable in any judicial or administrative proceeding, then the
court  or administrative body shall have the power to reform such provision and,
in  its  changed  form,  such  provision  shall then be enforceable and shall be
enforced.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed by
its  duly  authorized  officer,  and  the  Option Holder, to evidence his or her
consent  and approval of all the terms hereof, has duly executed this Agreement,
as  of  the  date  specified  in  Section  1  hereof.

                              TRITON  ENERGY  LIMITED



                              By:          ____________________________________



                              OPTION  HOLDER:



                              __________________________________________