EXHIBIT 10.48

                        DEMAND PROMISSORY NOTE - GRID
                      (Multiple Advances - U.S. Dollars)


US$  20,000,000                                        Date:  February 6, 1997

                                                 Place:  New  York,  New  York

     For  value  received  and  in  consideration  of  any advance or advances
(individually  an  "Advance"  and  collectively  the  "Advances") which Banque
Paribas  or  any of its branches or agencies (collectively the "Bank") may, in
its  absolute  and  sole  discretion elect to make to Triton Energy Limited, a
Cayman  Islands  Corporation  ("TEL") having offices at Caledonian House, Mary
Street,  P.O.  Box  1043,  George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands or Triton
Energy Corporation a Delaware Corporation ("TEC") having offices at 6688 North
Central  Expressway  ,  Dallas,  Texas  75206  (hereafter  collectively  the
"Borrowers"), the Borrowers hereby jointly, and severally, unconditionally and
irrevocably  promise  to  pay to the order of the Bank at the Bank's office in
New  York,  located  at The Equitable Tower, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New
York  10019,  or  to such other place as the Bank may designate, the principal
amount  of  each  such  Advance  on the earlier of DEMAND or the maturity date
(which  shall  be not more than 90 days after the date of the Advance) if any,
together  with  accrued  interest  thereon at the rate applicable to each such
Advance  all  as recorded and indicated on the Grid attached hereto and made a
part hereof.  Interest as aforesaid shall be due and payable on the earlier of
DEMAND  or  at the maturity date, if any, of the Advance and shall be computed
from the date of the Advance until paid in full and shall be calculated on the
basis of a year of 360 days and actual days elapsed.  Any overdue principal of
any Advance made hereunder, and to the extent permitted by applicable law, any
overdue  interest, shall bear interest, payable upon demand, for each day from
the  date payment thereof was due to the date of actual payment, at a rate per
annum  equal to the sum of 2% plus the higher of (i) the rate set forth on the
Grid  and  (ii)  the  prime rate of The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A. as publicly
announced  by  such  bank  from  time  to time to  in New York, New York.  Any
change  in  such  prime  rate  shall  be  effective  on the date of the public
announcement thereof.  The Borrowers hereby authorize the Bank to enter on the
Grid  all  necessary information.  All such entries shall be conclusive in the
absence  of  manifest error.   The failure by the Bank to make any entry shall
not  limit  or  otherwise  affect the obligation of the Borrowers to repay all
Advances  plus  accrued  interest  thereon.

     If  the  Bank makes a demand for repayment on or before 11:00 A.M. E.S.T.
on  any business day, then the amounts demanded shall be due and payable on or
before  4:00  P.M. E.S.T. that day and if such demand is made after 11:00 A.M.
E.S.T.  on  any  business  day,  then  the amounts demanded shall be due on or
before  1  1:  00  A.M.  E.  S.  T.  the  next  business  day.

     Any Advance made hereunder shall conclusively be deemed to have been made
to  or  for the benefit of and at the request of the Borrowers notwithstanding
that  such  Advance  was requested orally, in writing or by someone other than
the  Borrowers.

     The  Borrowers  hereby  agree that if the Bank shall have determined that
the  adoption of any applicable law, rule, regulation or treaty, or any change
therein,  or any change in the interpretation or administration thereof by any
governmental  authority  charged  with  the  interpretation  or administration
thereof,  or  compliance  by  the  Bank with any request, policy, guideline or
directive  (whether or not having the force of law) of any monetary, fiscal or
other  authority  shall impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special
deposit,  compulsory  loan, assessment or insurance fee or similar requirement
(including  any  such  requirement  imposed  by  the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation,  the  Office  of  the  Comptroller  of the Currency of the United
States  of  America  (or  any  successor agency) or the Federal Reserve Board)
against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by,
the  Bank  or shall subject the Bank to any taxes with respect to this Note or
any  Advance  or  change  the basis of taxation of payments to the Bank or any
amount  payable  under  this Note (other than taxes imposed on the overall net
income of the Bank), or shall impose on the Bank any other condition affecting
this  Note or any Advance, and as a result of any of the foregoing there shall
be any increase in the cost to the Bank with respect to the making, finding or
maintaining  of  any Advance or in the amount of any payment in respect of any
Advance received or receivable by the Bank or the Bank shall suffer some other
loss  or damage or shall forego any interest or other amount due hereunder, or
in  respect  of  any  Advance (an "Increased Cost Event"), the Bank shall give
prompt written notice of such Increased Cost Event and the Borrowers shall pay
to  the  Bank from time to time upon the Bank's demand, such additional amount
or amounts as the Bank reasonably determines to be necessary to compensate the
Bank  for  any  increased  cost,  reduced  amount,  other  loss or drainage or
foregone  interest  or  other  amount.

     The  Borrowers  further agree that if the Bank shall have determined that
the  adoption  or  implementation  of  any  law, rule, regulation or guideline
regarding capital adequacy, capital maintenance or similar requirements or any
change  therein  or in the interpretation or application thereof or compliance
by  the  Bank  or  any  corporation  controlling  the  Bank  with any request,
guideline,  policy  or  directive  regarding  capital adequacy (whether or not
having  the  force  of  law) from any central bank or comparable entity or any
governmental  authority  does or would have the effect of reducing the rate of
return  on  the  Bank  or on the Bank's controlling corporation's capital as a
consequence of this Note or any Advance hereunder, to a level below that which
the  Bank  or  the  Bank's controlling corporation could have achieved but for
such adoption, implementation, change or compliance (taking into consideration
the  Bank's and its controlling corporation's policies with respect to capital
adequacy)  (a "Cost of Capital Event") then the Bank shall give prompt written
notice  of  such  Cost of Capital Event and from time to time, upon the Bank's
demand,  the Borrowers shall pay to the Bank such additional amount or amounts
as  the  Bank  determines  will  compensate  it for such reduction, the Bank's
determination  to  be  conclusive.

     If  any taxes are imposed and required by law to be paid or withheld from
any  amount  payable  to the Bank hereunder, then the Borrowers shall increase
the  amount  of such payment so that the Bank will receive a net amount (after
deduction  for  such  taxes)  equal  to  the  amount  due  hereunder.

<PAGE>
     The  Borrowers  agree to reimburse the Bank, upon demand, for any losses
which the  Bank  may  sustain  as  a  result of the Borrowers' failure to
borrow any Advance  on the date requested by the Borrowers, the prepayment of
any Advance (whether by acceleration or otherwise) or the failure to repay
the same or any interest  thereon  on the maturity date thereof, including
but not limited to, any  loss  in  liquidating  or  employing  deposits  from
third  parties. Any prepayment  of the principal amount of any Advance shall
be accompanied by the payment of the accrued interest thereon to the date of
such prepayment and the amount of the losses incurred by the Bank as a result
thereof. Notwithstanding anything  in  this  Note  to  the contrary, in the
event of any Increased Cost Event  or Cost of Capital Event, the Borrowers
may prepay any Advance affected thereby,  in whole or in part,
without- premium or penalty or other obligation to  reimburse  losses.

     If  the  effect  of  any  applicable  law,  rule  or regulation or in the
interpretation  or  administration  thereof  or compliance with any request or
directive  of any governmental agency is to make it unlawful or impossible for
the  Bank  to make, maintain or fund any Advance, then the Borrowers shall, at
the  Bank's  option,  pay  on demand, the outstanding principal amount of such
Advance,  together  with  accrued  interest thereon and any additional amounts
contemplated  hereby.

     Notwithstanding the foregoing listing of events, nothing contained herein
shall  be  deemed to limit the ability of the Bank to demand payment of any or
all  Advances  and  other  amounts  owing  hereunder.

     The  Borrowers  agree  to indemnify the Bank and its directors, officers,
employees,  agents  and  controlling persons against, and to hold the Bank and
such  persons  access  from, any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities,
costs  and  expenses  (including  reasonable  attorneys'  fees  and  expenses)
incurred  by  or asserted against the Bank or any such persons arising out of,
in  any  way connected with, or as a result of, the use of the proceeds of any
Advance  by  the Borrowers; provided however that this indemnity shall not, as
to  the  Bank or such other person, apply to any such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities, costs or expenses to the extent arising from the gross negligence
or the willful misconduct of the Bank or such other person.  The provisions of
this  paragraph  and  the  other indemnity obligations of Borrowers under this
Note  shall survive the repayment of any Advance and the payment of Borrowers'
other  obligations  under  this  Note.

     Should  (i)  the  Borrowers  fail to pay any principal or interest on any
Advance  or  any other sum when due hereunder; or (ii) the Borrowers breach or
default  under any agreement or instrument with, or ' in favor of, the Bank or
under  any  other  agreement or instrument involving the borrowing of money or
the  advance  of credit between the Borrowers and any other party in excess of
$5,000,000;  or  (iii)  a  receiver,  trustee  or  other  similar  official be
appointed  over  the  Borrowers  or  any  of its assets; or (iv) the Borrowers
become  insolvent  or  be  unable  to pay its debts as they mature; or (v) the
Borrowers  make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (vi) the
Borrowers  file  a  petition  under  any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law
(domestic  or  foreign);  or  (vii) the Borrowers have an involuntary petition
under  any  bankruptcy,  insolvency  or  any similar law (domestic or foreign)
filed  against it; or (viii) the Borrowers suffer a material adverse change in
either  of  their  respective  consolidated  financial  condition,  business,
prospects or operations; or (ix) any material levy, attachment, execution, tax
assessment  or similar process be issued against the Borrowers or any of their
respective  properties or assets; or (x) any of the matters covered in clauses
(ii)  through  and including (ix) above occur with respect to any guarantor of
any  obligations  of  the  Borrowers (including the obligations hereunder); or
(xi) any representation or warranty made by the Borrowers to the Bank prove to
have  been  incorrect  or  misleading  when  made or deemed made; or (xii) the
Borrowers breach any other covenant in any agreement with, or in favor of, the
Bank  which  continues  uncured  for a period of ten days following receipt of
notice  thereof,  or (xiii) any guarantee of any of the Borrowers' obligations
hereunder or under any other agreement with the Bank cease to be in full force
and effect, then, in the case of any of the events specified in clauses (iii),
(iv),  (v),  (vi) or (vii), the Advances and all of the Borrowers' obligations
under this Note shall become immediately due and payable without any action on
the  part  of  the  Bank, and in the case of any of the other events specified
above, the Bank may by notice to the Borrowers declare the principal amount of
all  Advances  hereunder  together with accrued interest thereon and any other
amounts  owing hereunder to be immediately due and payable, whereupon the same
shall  become  immediately  due  and  payable.   Notwithstanding the foregoing
listing  of  events,  nothing  contained  herein  shall be deemed to limit the
ability of the Bank to demand payment of any or all Advances and other amounts
owing  hereunder  at  any  time  and  whether  or  not  any of said events has
occurred.  The Borrowers and all other parties who, at any time, may be liable
on  this  Note  in any capacity, waive demand, presentment, protest, notice of
protest,  dishonor,  notice  of dishonor and notice of every other kind all of
which  are hereby expressly waived by the Borrowers and such other party.  The
Borrowers  and  each  such  other  party further waive its rights to plead any
statute  of  limitations  as  a  defense  to  any  action  hereunder.

     The  Borrowers  agree to pay the reasonable legal fees which the Bank may
incur in connection with the enforcement of the Bank's rights hereunder and in
connection  with  any  matter  related  hereto.

     Nothing  herein  contained  shall be, or be deemed to be, a commitment on
the  part  of  the Bank to make any Advance or on the part of the Borrowers to
make  any  borrowings.  The  Borrowers agree that they shall not rely upon the
availability  of  any  Advances  under  this  Note.

     All  amounts due hereunder shall be paid in lawful currency of the United
States  in immediately  available  funds  and  without  offset  deduction  or
counterclaim.

     Each  of  TEL  and  TEC  agrees  to  be  jointly  and severally liable for
all borrowings  hereunder  regardless  of  whether  either  of TEC or TEL
actually receives  or  utilizes  the  Advance(s).

     THIS  NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS
OF  THE  STATE OF NEW YORK.  THE BORROWERS HEREBY CONSENTS TO THE JURISDICTION
OF  ANY NEW YORK STATE OR FEDERAL COURT SITTING IN NEW YORK CITY IN ANY ACTION
OR  PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS NOTE AND AGREES THAT SERVICE
OF  PROCESS  MAY  BE  MADE  UPON  IT  IN  CONNECTION  WITH  ANY SUCH ACTION OR
PROCEEDING  BY  MAILING  A  COPY  THEREOF  TO  ITS  ADDRESS  SET  FORTH BELOW.

     WAIVER  OF  JURY  TRIAL.    THE BORROWERS HEREBY WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY TO
THE FULLEST  EXTENT  PERMITTED  BY  LAW  IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR
COUNTERCLAIM ARISING  OUT  OF  OR  RELATING  TO  THIS  NOTE.


                            TRITON  ENERGY  CORPORATION



               Address:     6688  North  Central  Expressway
                            Dallas,  Texas    75206


               By:          /s/
               Title:       Treasurer

                            TRITON  ENERGY  LIMITED


               Address:     Caledonian  House
                            Mary  Street
                            P  O  Box  1043
                            George  Town
                            Grand  Cayman
                            Cayman  Islands


               By:          /s/
               Title:       Treasurer