UNITED STATES

                SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                     Washington, D. C.  20549

                            Form 10-Q

[x] Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For quarter ended        March 31, 1999                
                               or
[ ] Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the transition period from                   to               
Commission File Number:         2-70390                           

              SANCHEZ-O'BRIEN 1981-A DRILLING COMPANY    
      (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           TEXAS                                         74-2216121 
(State or other jurisdiction of              (IRS employer
incorporation or organization)               identification no.)

5847 San Felipe, Suite 1900      Houston, Texas     77057         
(Address of principal executive offices)       (Zip Code)

                           (713) 783-8000                         
           (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                  N/A                             
(Former name, 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  

               APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED
                 IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING
                    THE PRECEDING FIVE YEARS:

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all
documents and reports required to be filed by Section 12, 13 or
15(d) of the Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934 subsequent to the
distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by court. 
Yes      No  

              APPLICABLE ONLY TO CORPORATE ISSUERS:
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's
classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
<PAGE>
             SANCHEZ-O'BRIEN 1981-A DRILLING COMPANY
           QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q MARCH 31, 1999


                              INDEX

                                                                 
PART I -  Financial information:

 Item 1. Financial Statements
         Balance Sheets for the periods March 31, 1999 and
            December 31, 1998
         Statements of Operations for the three months ended
            March 31, 1999 and 1998
         Statement of Partners' Equity as of March 31, 1999
         Statements of Cash Flow for the three months ended
            March 31, 1999 and 1998
 Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial 
           Condition and Results of Operations
 
  
PART II - Other information:
 
 Item 1. Legal Proceedings
 Item 2. Changes in Securities (not applicable) 
 Item 3. Defaults upon Senior Securities (not applicable) 
 Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
            (not applicable) 
 Item 5. Other Information (not applicable) 
 Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K
         Signatures
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
                     Part I.  Financial Information

ITEM 1.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                  Sanchez-O'Brien 1981-A Drilling Company
                          (a limited partnership)
                              Balance Sheets
                                (Unaudited)
<CAPTION>
                                                  March 31,      December 31,
                                                     1999             1998     
<S>                                               <C>            <C>
  ASSETS

Current assets:
  Cash                                           $ 1,052,624        1,011,552 
  Accounts receivable                                 14,163           18,843 

       Total current assets                        1,066,787        1,030,395 

Oil and natural gas properties (full cost        
  method), at cost, pledged (note 2)              31,022,634       31,022,493 
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion
  and amortization (note 2)                       30,488,924       30,469,924 

       Net oil and natural gas properties            533,710          552,569 

Organization costs, less applicable
  amortization                                             0                0 
                                                   1,600,497        1,582,964 
<CAPTION>
<S>                                               <C>               <C> 
LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable                                    52,407           64,730 
  Suspense payable-investors                         180,555          180,555 
  
       Total current liabilities                     232,962          245,285 

Partners' equity:
  Limited partners                                 1,353,864        1,324,307 
  General partner                                     13,671           13,372 

       Total partners' equity                      1,367,535        1,337,679 
                                                 $ 1,600,497        1,582,964 
See accompanying notes to financial statements.<PAGE>
<PAGE>

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<TABLE>
             Sanchez-O'Brien 1981-A Drilling Company
                     (a limited partnership)
                     Statements of Operations
                           (Unaudited)

                                             Three Months Ended
                                                  March 31,      
                                              1999          1998  
<CAPTION>
<S>                                        <C>           <C>
REVENUES:
  Oil and natural gas sales                 $ 79,579      132,354
  Interest income                              6,766        5,211
  Other income                                     0            0

                                              86,345      137,565

EXPENSES: 
  Operating expenses                          31,417       40,206
  General and administrative                   6,072       17,571
  Interest                                         0            0
  Depreciation, depletion
    and amortization (note 2)                 19,000       27,000

                                              56,489       84,777

    Net income                              $ 29,856       52,788


See accompanying notes to financial statements.
<PAGE>

</TABLE>
<TABLE>

<PAGE>
                  Sanchez-O'Brien 1981-A Drilling Company
                          (a limited partnership)
                       Statement of Partners' Equity
                    Three Months Ended March 31, 1999
                                (Unaudited)

                                         Limited       General 
                                        Partners       Partner        Total   
<CAPTION>
<S>                                    <C>             <C>         <C>
Balances at December 31, 1998          $1,324,307       13,372      1,337,679 

Cash distributions                              0            0              0 

Net income                                 29,557          299         29,856

Balances at March 31, 1999             $1,353,864       13,671      1,367,535 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.
<PAGE>

</TABLE>
TABLE
<PAGE>
         Sanchez-O'Brien 1981-A Drilling Company
                          (a limited partnership)
                         Statements of Cash Flows
                                (Unaudited)
                                                    Three Months Ended 
                                                          March 31,    
                                                      1999        1998 
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                <C>            <C>
Cash flows from operating activities:
 Net income                                       $  29,856         52,788 
 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net
   cash provided by operating activities:
     Depreciation, depletion and
          amortization                               19,000         27,000 
     Change in assets and liabilities:
      Accounts receivable                             4,680          5,381 
      Accounts payable                              (12,323)        (4,232) 
      Suspense payable                                    0         (1,740) 
           
       Total adjustments                             11,357         26,409 

        Net cash provided by operating 
         activities                                  41,213         79,197 

Cash flows from investing activities:
 Cash distributions                                    -              -    
 Purchases of property and equipment                   (141)         27,239

       Net cash used in investing
          activities                                   (141)         27,239

Cash flows from financing activities:
  Payment of long-term debt                               0              0 
  Proceeds from long-term debt                            0              0 

        Net cash provided (used) by financing
         activities                                       0              0 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents            41,072        106,436 

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of
 year                                             1,011,552        665,680 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of
 quarter                                         $1,052,624        772,116 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

<PAGE>
             Sanchez-O'Brien 1981-A Drilling Company
                     (a limited partnership)

                  Notes to Financial Statements

                           March 31, 1999

                           (Unaudited)

(1)   Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

    a.Organization

      Sanchez-O'Brien 1981-A Drilling Company (the Drilling
      Company), is a Texas limited partnership formed on
      December 18, 1980.  Sanchez Drilling Corporation
      is the General Partner and an Organizational Limited
      Partner of the Drilling Company and has a 1% interest
      therein.
      Effective January 1, 1998 Sanchez O'Brien Drilling Corporation's
      name was changed to Sanchez Drilling Company.  Also, Sanchez-
      O'Brien Oil & Gas Corporation's name was changed to Sanchez
      Oil & Gas Corporation.
      The Drilling Company was initially formed with an
      Organizational Limited Partner on December 18, 1980.  Upon
      the closing of subscriptions on June 23, 1981, with 3,207
      Limited Partners contributing $26,520,000, the
      Organizational Limited Partner was refunded his initial
      contribution.  In June, 1981, the Drilling Company entered
      into a separate agreement to form a general partnership,
      Sanchez-O'Brien 1981-A Drilling Partnership (the Drilling
      Partnership), with Sanchez Oil & Gas Corporation
      (Sanchez) as Managing General Partner.  The
      purpose of the Drilling Partnership is to conduct oil and
      natural gas exploration activity in the continental United
      States.  Sanchez-O'Brien Drilling Corporation is a wholly
      owned subsidiary of Sanchez.

    b.Basis of Financial Statement Presentation

      The financial statements include the accounts of the
      Drilling Company and its proportionate share in the
      specific assets, liabilities and operating accounts of the
      Drilling  Partnership.  All significant intercompany
      balances have been eliminated.

<PAGE>
    
    c.General

      The financial statements included herein were prepared by
      the Managing General Partner.  In the opinion of
      management, all adjustments have been made which are
      necessary for a fair presentation of the financial
      position of the Drilling Company at March 31, 1999 and the
      results of operations for the period then ended.

(2)   Oil and Gas Properties

      The Drilling Company follows the full cost method of
      accounting for its proportionate interest in the oil and gas
      operations of the Drilling Partnership.  Under this method,
      all costs incurred in the acquisition, exploration and
      development of properties, including costs of surrendered and
      abandoned leaseholds, delay lease rentals and dry holes, are
      capitalized.  Dispositions of oil and gas properties are
      accounted for as adjustments to capitalized costs, with no
      gain or loss recognized.  Depreciation, depletion and
      amortization of oil and gas properties is provided by the
      units-of-production method based on proved oil and gas
      reserves.

      Under the full cost method of accounting for oil and gas
      operations, capitalized costs of oil and gas properties are
      not to exceed the present value of future net revenues from
      estimated production of proved oil and gas properties plus the
      lower of cost or estimated fair market value of unproved
      properties.  If capitalized costs exceed this limitation, an
      additional provision is to be made to depreciation, depletion
      and amortization.

(3)Notes Payable

      As of March 31, 1999, The Drilling Company does not have any
      debt.
<PAGE>
ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
       AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

      As of March 31, 1999, forty-three wells have been drilled.
      Of this number, ten wells are commercially productive,
      twenty-four were dry holes or have been depleted and
      abandoned, seven have been sold and two are shut-in.

      As of March 31, 1999, the Drilling Company's share of capital
      expenditures of the Drilling Partnership were in excess of the
      available funds of the Drilling Company.  Financing of these
      expenditures was provided through borrowings from the Managing
      General Partner. 

      As of March 31, 1999, each Limited Partner has received $435
      per each $5,000.  Future distributions will be made after
      litigation on the S. W. Escobas (Trevino leases) has been settled.
<PAGE>
                    PART II. Other Information

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

      The litigation against Pennzoil Exploration and Prodution Company
      (Pennzoil) and Sanchez Oil and Gas Corporation (Sanchez) on the Trevino
      Leases in the S.W. Escobas Prospect is ongoing.  The interests in the
      Trevino Leases, which comprise part of the S.W. Escobas Prospect, were
      acquired from Pennzoil.  There are currently four producing wells on the
      Trevino Leases, in which the Drilling Partnership holds between 22.53%-
      23.177% gross working interest.  The interest in dispute in this lawsuit
      is 7/96 or 7.9% of Sanchez-O'Brien's and Pennzoil's interest.  The trial
      judge, on November 9, 1992, ruled in favor of the defendants, Pennzoil
      and Sanchez. The plaintiffs appealed the trial court ruling to the Court
      of Appeals for the Fourth District of Texas at San Antonio. In May 1994,
      the San Antonio Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court's judgement.
      The appellants (plaintiffs) filled an application for writ of error to the
      Texas Supreme Court after the Fourth Court Appeals rejected a motion for
      a rehearing.  On November 6, 1994, the Texas Supreme Court denied the writ
      of error. On December 8, 1994, plaintiffs filed a motion for a rehearing
      with Texas Supreme Court.  The Texas Supreme Court granted a rehearing and
      heard oral arguments during September 1995.  On October 18, 1996, the
      Texas Supreme Court reversed the judgements of both lower courts. On 
      November 20, 1996, a motion for rehearing was filed.  The Texas Supreme
      Court granted the motion for a rehearing, but on February 26, 1998, the 
      Texas Supreme Court rendered an opinion reversing the San Antonio Court
      of Appeals and the trial court and rendering judgement for plaintiff. 
      A motion for a rehearing was filed during March 1998. The motion for a
      rehearing was denied and all appeals exhausted.
    
   
      As a result of the unfavorable ruling, the Drilling Company will have to
      forfeit the funds being held in escrow. In addition, the Drilling Company
      would lose approximately 7.29% of its' interest in the Trevino properties.
      The Company should have enough funds in escrow to pay the plantiff.


<PAGE>
<PAGE>
ITEM 6. EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

  No reports on Form 8-K have been filed during the quarter for
  which this report is filed.



                            SIGNATURES

  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
  1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to  be 
  signed  on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly
  authorized.


                       SANCHEZ-O'BRIEN 1981-A DRILLING COMPANY
                            (Registrant)

                       By Sanchez-O'Brien Drilling Corporation.
                            General Partner



     Date:  05/14/99   By:  M. M. FREEMAN                        
                            M. M. Freeman
                            Senior Vice President, Treasurer,
                            Secretary and Director (Principal
                            Financial Officer)



     Date:  05/14/99   By:  OLIVER GARZA                         
                            Oliver Garza
                            Vice President
                            Acctg./Administration

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