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 the quarterly period ended June 30, 1998
                                       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 No. 2-81398A


                           PARKER & PARSLEY 83-A, LTD.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                 Texas                                     75-1891384
    (State or other jurisdiction of                     (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                  Identification Number)

303 West Wall, Suite 101, Midland, Texas                      79701
(Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip code)

       Registrant's Telephone Number, including area code : (915) 683-4768

                                 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 / /




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                           PARKER & PARSLEY 83-A, LTD.

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                         Page
                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.    Financial Statements

           Balance Sheets as of June 30, 1998 and
              December 31, 1997........................................    3

           Statements of Operations for the three and six
             months ended June 30, 1998 and 1997.......................    4

           Statement of Partners' Capital for the six months
             ended June 30, 1998.......................................    5

           Statements of Cash Flows for the six months
             ended June 30, 1998 and 1997..............................    6

           Notes to Financial Statements...............................    7

Item 2.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
             Condition and Results of Operations.......................    7


                           Part II. Other Information

Item 6.    Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K............................   11

           27.1  Financial Data Schedule

           Signatures..................................................   12




                                        2

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                           PARKER & PARSLEY 83-A, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.   Financial Statements
                                 BALANCE SHEETS
                                                    June 30,       December 31,
                                                      1998             1997
                                                  ------------     ------------
                                                   (Unaudited)
                      ASSETS
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents, including interest
     bearing deposits of $408,207 at June 30
     and $172,776 at December 31                  $    408,707     $    173,276
  Accounts receivable:
     Oil and gas sales                                 114,263          141,577
     Other                                                 -            268,137
                                                   -----------      -----------
          Total current assets                         522,970          582,990
                                                   -----------      -----------
Oil and gas properties - at cost, based on the
  successful efforts accounting method              16,876,929       16,869,232
Accumulated depletion                              (14,575,786)     (14,437,106)
                                                   -----------      -----------
          Net oil and gas properties                 2,301,143        2,432,126
                                                   -----------      -----------
                                                  $  2,824,113     $  3,015,116
                                                   ===========      ===========
LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL

Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable - affiliate                    $     43,133     $     38,648
Partners' capital:
  General partners                                     306,194          336,024
  Limited partners (19,505 interests)                2,474,786        2,640,444
                                                   -----------      -----------
                                                     2,780,980        2,976,468
                                                   -----------      -----------
                                                  $  2,824,113     $  3,015,116
                                                   ===========      ===========

   The financial information included as of June 30, 1998 has been prepared by
          management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        3

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                           PARKER & PARSLEY 83-A, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (Unaudited)


                                    Three months ended      Six months ended
                                         June 30,                June 30,
                                  ---------------------   ---------------------
                                     1998        1997        1998        1997
                                  ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------
Revenues:
  Oil and gas                     $ 234,748   $ 340,309   $ 498,027   $ 728,771
  Interest                            5,066       2,931      10,021       5,679
  Gain on disposition of assets       3,702         -         3,702         -
                                   --------    --------    --------    --------
                                    243,516     343,240     511,750     734,450
                                   --------    --------    --------    --------
Costs and expenses:
  Oil and gas production            192,845     210,578     380,882     439,832
  General and administrative          9,429      11,715      16,961      25,153
  Depletion                          80,390      84,331     138,680     162,995
                                   --------    --------    --------    --------
                                    282,664     306,624     536,523     627,980
                                   --------    --------    --------    --------
Net income (loss)                 $ (39,148)  $  36,616   $ (24,773)  $ 106,470
                                   ========    ========    ========    ========
Allocation of net income (loss):
  General partners                $   2,023   $  22,180   $  14,558   $  51,889
                                   ========    ========    ========    ========
  Limited partners                $ (41,171)  $  14,436   $ (39,331)  $  54,581
                                   ========    ========    ========    ========
Net income (loss) per limited
  partnership interest            $   (2.11)  $     .74   $   (2.02)  $    2.80
                                   ========    ========    ========    ========
Distributions per limited
  partnership interest            $    1.10   $    6.00   $    6.48   $   14.20
                                   ========    ========    ========    ========


         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        4

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                           PARKER & PARSLEY 83-A, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                         STATEMENT OF PARTNERS' CAPITAL
                                   (Unaudited)




                                    General        Limited
                                    partners       partners        Total
                                   ----------     ----------     ----------

Balance at January 1, 1998         $  336,024     $2,640,444     $2,976,468

   Distributions                      (44,388)      (126,327)      (170,715)

   Net income (loss)                   14,558        (39,331)       (24,773)
                                    ---------      ---------      ---------

Balance at June 30, 1998           $  306,194     $2,474,786     $2,780,980
                                    =========      =========      =========






         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        5

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                           PARKER & PARSLEY 83-A, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                   (Unaudited)

                                                         Six months ended
                                                             June 30,
                                                     -------------------------
                                                        1998           1997
                                                     ----------     ----------
Cash flows from operating activities:
  Net income (loss)                                  $  (24,773)    $  106,470
  Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to
     net cash provided by operating activities:
       Depletion                                        138,680        162,995
       Gain on disposition of assets                     (3,702)           -
  Changes in assets and liabilities:
     Accounts receivable                                 27,314        103,812
     Accounts payable                                     4,485         13,034
                                                      ---------      ---------
           Net cash provided by operating
             activities                                 142,004        386,311
                                                      ---------      ---------
Cash flows from investing activities:
  Additions to oil and gas properties                    (7,697)        (1,432)
  Proceeds from asset disposition                       271,839            -
                                                      ---------      ---------
           Net cash provided by (used in)
             investing activities                       264,142         (1,432)
                                                      ---------      ---------
Cash flows from financing activities:
  Cash distributions to partners                       (170,715)      (359,570)
                                                      ---------      ---------
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents               235,431         25,309
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period        173,276        171,664
                                                      ---------      ---------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period           $  408,707     $  196,973
                                                      =========      =========

         The financial information included herein has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

   The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

                                        6

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                           PARKER & PARSLEY 83-A, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                  June 30, 1998
                                   (Unaudited)


Note 1.     Organization and nature of operations

Parker  &  Parsley  83-A,  Ltd. (the  "Partnership")  is a  limited  partnership
organized in 1983 under the laws of the State of Texas.

The Partnership  engages  primarily in oil and gas development and production in
Texas and is not involved in any industry segment other than oil and gas.

Note 2.     Basis of presentation

In  the  opinion  of  management,  the  unaudited  financial  statements  of the
Partnership  as of June 30, 1998 and for the three and six months ended June 30,
1998 and 1997 include all  adjustments  and accruals  consisting  only of normal
recurring accrual adjustments which are necessary for a fair presentation of the
results  for  the  interim  period.  However,  these  interim  results  are  not
necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

Certain  information  and  footnote  disclosure  normally  included in financial
statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting  principles
have been  condensed  or  omitted  in this Form 10-Q  pursuant  to the rules and
regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.  The financial statements
should  be read in  conjunction  with the  financial  statements  and the  notes
thereto  contained in the  Partnership's  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1997, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission,  a copy
of which is available upon request by writing to Rich Dealy,  Vice President and
Chief Accounting Officer,  5205 North O'Connor  Boulevard,  1400 Williams Square
West, Irving, Texas 75039-3746.

Item 2.     Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
              and Results of Operations (1)

Results of Operations

Six months ended June 30, 1998 compared with six months ended
  June 30, 1997

Revenues:

The Partnership's  oil and gas revenues  decreased 32% to $498,027 from $728,771
for the six months ended June 30, 1998 and 1997,  respectively.  The decrease in
revenues  resulted from lower average prices received,  offset by an increase in
production. For the six months ended June 30, 1998, 24,420 barrels of oil, 9,853
barrels  of natural gas  liquids ("NGLs")  and 48,253 mcf of  gas were sold,  or

                                        7

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42,315  barrel of oil  equivalents  ("BOEs").  For the six months ended June 30,
1997, 25,751 barrels of oil and 83,941 mcf of gas were sold, or 39,741 BOEs.

As of September 30, 1997, the Partnership began accounting for processed natural
gas   production  as  processed   natural  gas  liquids  and  dry  residue  gas.
Consequently,  separate  product volumes will not be comparable to periods prior
to September 30, 1997.  Also,  prices for gas products will not be comparable as
the price per mcf for  natural  gas for the three and six months  ended June 30,
1998 is the price received for dry residue gas and the price per mcf for natural
gas for the  three and six  months  ended  June 30,  1997 is a price for wet gas
(i.e., natural gas liquids combined with dry residue gas).

The average  price  received per barrel of oil  decreased  $5.97,  or 29%,  from
$20.28 for the six months  ended June 30,  1997 to $14.31 for the same period in
1998.  The average price received per barrel of NGLs during the six months ended
June 30, 1998 was $7.13. The average price received per mcf of gas decreased 34%
from  $2.46  during the six months  ended  June 30,  1997 to $1.62 in 1998.  The
market price for oil and gas has been extremely volatile in the past decade, and
management expects a certain amount of volatility to continue in the foreseeable
future.  The Partnership may therefore sell its future oil and gas production at
average  prices lower or higher than that  received  during the six months ended
June 30, 1998.

During  most of 1997,  the  Partnership  benefitted  from  higher  oil prices as
compared to previous  years.  However,  during the fourth  quarter of 1997,  oil
prices began a downward  trend that has  continued  into 1998. On July 29, 1998,
the market  price for West Texas  intermediate  crude was $11.58 per  barrel.  A
continuation of the oil price environment  experienced  during the first half of
1998 will have an adverse  effect on the  Partnership's  revenues and  operating
cash flow and could result in additional  decreases in the carrying value of the
Partnership's oil and gas properties.

A gain on disposition  of assets of $3,702 was recognized  during the six months
ended June 30, 1998 from post closing  adjustments  received from the sale of 16
oil and gas wells during 1997.

Costs and Expenses:

Total costs and expenses decreased to $536,523 for the six months ended June 30,
1998 as compared to $627,980 for the same period in 1997, a decrease of $91,457,
or 15%.  This decrease was due to declines in  production  costs,  depletion and
general and administrative expenses ("G&A").

Production  costs  were  $380,882  for the six months  ended  June 30,  1998 and
$439,832 for the same period in 1997  resulting in a $58,950  decrease,  or 13%.
The decrease was due to declines in well maintenance  costs,  workover expenses,
production taxes and the sale of 16 oil and gas wells during 1997.

G&A's  components are independent  accounting and engineering  fees and managing
general  partner  personnel  and  operating  costs.   During  this  period,  G&A
decreased, in aggregate, 33% from $25,153 for the six months ended June 30, 1997
to $16,961 for the same period in 1998.

                                        8

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Depletion  was  $138,680  for the six months  ended June 30,  1998  compared  to
$162,995 for the same period in 1997.  This  represented a decrease in depletion
of $24,315,  or 15%.  This decrease was primarily attributable to a reduction in
the  Partnership's  net depletable  basis from charges taken in accordance  with
Statement  of  Financial  Accounting  Standards  No.  121,  "Accounting  for the
Impairment of  Long-Lived  Assets and for  Long-Lived  Assets to be Disposed Of"
("SFAS 121") during the fourth quarter of 1997 and a reduction in oil production
of 1,331  barrels for the period ended June 30, 1998 compared to the same period
in 1997,  offset by a decrease in oil reserves  during the six months ended June
30, 1998 as a result of lower commodity prices.

Three months ended June 30, 1998 compared with three months ended
  June 30, 1997

Revenues:

The Partnership's  oil and gas revenues  decreased 31% to $234,748 from $340,309
for the three months ended June 30, 1998 and 1997, respectively. The decrease in
revenues  resulted from lower average prices received,  offset by an increase in
production.  For the three months ended June 30,  1998,  11,785  barrels of oil,
5,131 barrels of NGLs and 23,837 mcf of gas were sold,  or 20,889 BOEs.  For the
three months ended June 30,  1997,  12,764  barrels of oil and 47,899 mcf of gas
were sold, or 20,747 BOEs.

The average  price  received per barrel of oil  decreased  $5.25,  or 28%,  from
$18.71 for the three months ended June 30, 1997 to $13.46 for the same period in
1998.  The average  price  received  per barrel of NGLs during the three  months
ended  June 30,  1998 was  $7.40.  The  average  price  received  per mcf of gas
decreased  25% to $1.60 for the three  months  ended June 30, 1998 from $2.12 in
1997.

A gain on disposition  of assets of $3,702 was recognized  during the six months
ended June 30, 1998 from post closing  adjustments  received from the sale of 16
oil and gas wells during 1997.

Costs and Expenses:

Total costs and  expenses  decreased to $282,664 for the three months ended June
30,  1998 as compared  to  $306,624  for the same period in 1997,  a decrease of
$23,960, or 8%. This decrease was due to declines in production costs, depletion
and G&A.

Production  costs were  $192,845  for the three  months  ended June 30, 1998 and
$210,578 for the same period in 1997 resulting in a $17,733 decrease, or 8%. The
decrease was due to declines in well maintenance costs, production taxes and the
sale of 16 oil and gas wells during 1997.

G&A's  components are independent  accounting and engineering  fees and managing
general  partner  personnel  and  operating  costs.   During  this  period,  G&A
decreased,  in  aggregate,  20% from $11,715 for the three months ended June 30,
1997 to $9,429 for the same period in 1998.

                                        9

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Depletion  was $80,390  for the three  months  ended June 30,  1998  compared to
$84,331 for the same period in 1997. This represented a decrease in depletion of
$3,941,  or 5%. This decrease was primarily  attributable  to a reduction in the
Partnership's  net depletable  basis from charges taken in accordance  with SFAS
121 during the fourth  quarter of 1997 and a reduction in oil  production of 979
barrels for the period ended June 30, 1998 compared to the same period in 1997.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

Net cash  provided by operating  activities  decreased  $244,307  during the six
months  ended June 30,  1998 from the same  period in 1997.  This  decrease  was
attributable to a decline in oil and gas sales  receipts,  offset by declines in
production costs and G&A expenses paid.

Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities

The  Partnership's  investment  activities  during the six months ended June 30,
1998 and 1997 included  expenditures related to equipment replacement on various
oil and gas properties.

Proceeds from asset dispositions of $271,839 were received during the six months
ended June 30, 1998 from the sale of 16 oil and gas wells during 1997.

Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

Cash  was   sufficient  for  the  six  months  ended  June  30,  1998  to  cover
distributions  to the partners of $170,715 of which $44,388 was  distributed  to
the general partners and $126,327 to the limited  partners.  For the same period
ended June 30, 1997,  cash was sufficient for  distributions  to the partners of
$359,570 of which $82,599 was  distributed to the general  partners and $276,971
to the limited partners.

It is expected  that future net cash  provided by operating  activities  will be
sufficient for any capital expenditures and any distributions. As the production
from the properties declines, distributions are also expected to decrease.

Information systems for the year 2000

The managing general partner will be required to modify its information  systems
in order to  accurately  process  Partnership  data  referencing  the year 2000.
Because of the importance of occurrence  dates in the oil and gas industry,  the
consequences of not pursuing these  modifications  could be very  significant to
the Partnership's ability to manage and report operating activities.  Currently,
the managing general partner plans to contract with third parties to perform the
software  programming  changes  necessary to correct any existing  deficiencies.
Such  programming  changes are  anticipated  to be completed  and tested by June

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1999. The managing  general  partner will allocate a portion of the costs of the
year 2000 programming  charges to the Partnership when they are incurred,  along
with recurring general and administrative  expenses.  Although the costs are not
estimable at this time, they should not be significant to the Partnership.

---------------

(1)    "Item 2. Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
       Results of Operations"  contains forward looking  statements that involve
       risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that the
       actual  events and  results  will not be  materially  different  than the
       anticipated results described in the forward looking statements.



                           Part II. Other Information

Item 6.     Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

(a)    Exhibits

       27.1   Financial Data Schedule

(b)    Reports on Form 8-K - none


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                           PARKER & PARSLEY 83-A, LTD.
                          (A Texas Limited Partnership)



                               S I G N A T U R E S



      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.


                                           PARKER & PARSLEY 83-A, LTD.

                                      By:  Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc.
                                            Managing General Partner




Dated:  August 3, 1998                By:    /s/ Rich Dealy
                                           ----------------------------------
                                           Rich Dealy, Vice President and
                                           Chief Accounting Officer



                                       12

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