EXHIBIT 12.1
                     TRITON ENERGY LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
                COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                          (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIOS)
                                   (UNAUDITED)



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                                                  YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31,
                                                   ------------------------------------------------------
                                                     1999        1998       1997       1996       1995
                                                   ---------  ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------
<S>                                                <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>        <C>
Fixed charges, as defined
  Interest charges                                 $ 38,231   $  50,253   $ 50,625   $ 43,884   $ 41,305
  Preferred dividend requirements of
    subsidiaries adjusted to pre-tax basis              ---         ---        ---        ---        ---
                                                   ---------  ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------

        Total fixed charges                        $ 38,231   $  50,253   $ 50,625   $ 43,884   $ 41,305
                                                   =========  ==========  =========  =========  =========

Earnings, as defined (2):
  Earnings (loss) from continuing operations
    before income taxes and extraordinary item     $ 76,177   $(238,609)  $ 16,896   $ 20,945   $ 16,600
  Fixed charges, above                               38,231      50,253     50,625     43,884     41,305
  Less interest capitalized                         (14,539)    (23,215)   (25,818)   (27,102)   (16,211)
  Plus undistributed (earnings) loss of affiliates       28         ---        ---       (118)     2,249
  Less preferred dividend requirements of
    subsidiaries adjusted to pre-tax basis              ---         ---        ---        ---        ---
                                                   ---------  ----------  ---------  ---------  ---------

                                                   $ 99,897   $(211,571)  $ 41,703   $ 37,609   $ 43,943
                                                   =========  ==========  =========  =========  =========

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (1) (2)              2.6         ---        0.8        0.9        1.1
                                                   =========  ==========  =========  =========  =========

</TABLE>
____________________

[FN]
(1)     Earnings  were  inadequate to cover fixed for the years ended December
31, 1998, 1997 and 1996 by$261,824,000,  $8,922,000  and  $6,275,000,
respectively.


(2)     Earnings  reflect  nonrecurring  writedowns  and  loss  provisions  of
$5,159,000,  $348,064,000,  $46,153,000  and  $1,058,000  for  the  years  ended
December  31,  1999, 1998, 1996 and 1995, respectively.  Nonrecurring gains from
the  sale  of  assets  and  other  gains  aggregated  $442,000,  $125,617,000,
$6,253,000,  $22,189,000  and $13,617,000 for the years ended December 31, 1999,
1998,  1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively. The ratio of earnings to fixed charges
if adjusted to remove nonrecurring items, would have been 2.7, 0.2, 0.7, 1.4 and
0.8  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  1999,  1998,  1997,  1996  and 1995,
respectively.  Without  nonrecurring  items, earnings would have been inadequate
to  cover  fixed charges for the years ended December 31, 1998, 1997 and 1995 by
$39,377,000,  $15,175,000  and  $9,921,000,  respectively.