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 March 31, 1997

                                       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 / /

                               Page 1 of 10 pages.

                             -There are no exhibits-


<PAGE>



                           PARKER & PARSLEY 83-A, LTD.

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                         Page
                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.    Financial Statements

           Balance Sheets as of March 31, 1997 and
             December 31, 1996.........................................    3

           Statements of Operations for the three months
             ended March 31, 1997 and 1996.............................    4

           Statement of Partners' Capital for the three months
             ended March 31, 1997......................................    5

           Statements of Cash Flows for the three months
             ended March 31, 1997 and 1996.............................    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............................    9

           27.    Financial Reporting Schedule

           Signatures..................................................   10


                                        2

<PAGE>



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

                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.   Financial Statements

                                 BALANCE SHEETS
                                                    March 31,      December 31,
                                                      1997             1996
                                                  ------------     ------------
                                                  (Unaudited)
                      ASSETS

Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents, including interest
     bearing deposits of $195,489 at March 31
     and $171,164 at December 31                  $    195,989     $    171,664
  Accounts receivable - oil and gas sales              190,971          271,000
                                                   -----------      -----------
          Total current assets                         386,960          442,664
                                                   -----------      -----------
Oil and gas properties - at cost, based on the
  successful efforts accounting method              17,823,146       17,822,921
Accumulated depletion                              (13,884,977)     (13,806,313)
                                                   -----------      -----------
          Net oil and gas properties                 3,938,169        4,016,608
                                                   -----------      -----------
                                                  $  4,325,129     $  4,459,272
                                                   ===========      ===========

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL

Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable - affiliate                    $     40,443     $     38,807

Partners' capital:
  General partners                                     476,184          492,167
  Limited partners (19,505 interests)                3,808,502        3,928,298
                                                   -----------      -----------
                                                     4,284,686        4,420,465
                                                   -----------      -----------
                                                  $  4,325,129     $  4,459,272
                                                   ===========      ===========


  The financial information included as of March 31, 1997 has been prepared by
           management without audit by independent public accountants.

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

                                        3

<PAGE>



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

                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (Unaudited)



                                                         Three months ended
                                                               March 31,
                                                      -------------------------
                                                         1997           1996
                                                      ----------     ----------

Revenues:
   Oil and gas                                        $  388,462     $  394,310
   Interest                                                2,748          4,037
                                                       ---------      ---------
                                                         391,210        398,347
                                                       ---------      ---------
Costs and expenses:
   Oil and gas production                                229,254        181,395
   General and administrative                             13,438         12,079
   Depletion                                              78,664         84,935
                                                       ---------      ---------
                                                         321,356        278,409
                                                       ---------      ---------
Net income                                            $   69,854     $  119,938
                                                       =========      =========
Allocation of net income:
   General partners                                   $   29,709     $   42,787
                                                       =========      =========
   Limited partners                                   $   40,145     $   77,151
                                                       =========      =========
Net income per limited partnership interest           $     2.06     $     3.96
                                                       =========      =========
Distributions per limited partnership interest        $     8.20     $     6.20
                                                       =========      =========


         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 inancial statements.

                                        4

<PAGE>



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

                         STATEMENT OF PARTNERS' CAPITAL
                                   (Unaudited)





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

Balance at January 1, 1997          $  492,167     $ 3,928,298     $ 4,420,465

   Distributions                       (45,692)       (159,941)       (205,633)

   Net income                           29,709          40,145          69,854
                                     ---------      ----------      ----------

Balance at March 31, 1997           $  476,184     $ 3,808,502     $ 4,284,686
                                     =========      ==========      ==========





         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

<PAGE>



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

                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                   (Unaudited)



                                                          Three months ended
                                                                March 31,
                                                       ------------------------
                                                          1997          1996
                                                       ----------    ----------
Cash flows from operating activities:

   Net income                                          $   69,854    $  119,938
   Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
     provided by operating activities:
        Depletion                                          78,664        84,935
 Changes in assets and liabilities:
   (Increase) decrease in accounts receivable              80,029       (16,683)
   Increase (decrease) in accounts payable                  1,636       (60,652)
                                                        ---------     ---------
           Net cash provided by operating activities      230,183       127,538
                                                        ---------     ---------
Cash flows from investing activities:

   (Additions to) deletions of oil and gas properties        (225)          805

Cash flows from financing activities:

   Cash distributions to partners                        (205,633)     (162,171)
                                                        ---------     ---------
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents       24,325       (33,828)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period          171,664       377,780
                                                        ---------     ---------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period             $  195,989    $  343,952
                                                        =========     =========


         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

<PAGE>



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

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                 March 31, 1997
                                   (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 as of March 31,
1997 of the Partnership  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.

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,  1996,  as filed with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission,  a copy of which is  available  upon request by writing to
Steven L. Beal, Senior Vice President,  303 West Wall, Suite 101, Midland, Texas
79701.

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

Results of Operations

Revenues:

The  Partnership's  oil and gas  revenues  decreased  to $388,462  for the three
months  ended March 31, 1997 from  $394,310  for the same period ended March 31,
1996. The decrease in revenues  primarily resulted from a 13% decline in barrels
of oil  produced  and sold and a 28%  decline in mcf of gas  produced  and sold,
offset by higher average  prices  received per barrel of oil and mcf of gas. For
the three months ended March 31, 1997,  12,987 barrels of oil were sold compared
to 14,942 for the same  period in 1996,  a decrease  of 1,955  barrels.  For the
three  months  ended  March 31,  1997,  36,042 mcf of gas were sold  compared to
49,958 for the same period in 1996, a decrease of 13,916 mcf.  The  decreases in
production  volumes were  primarily  due to the decline  characteristics  of the
Partnership's  oil  and  gas  properties.   Because  of  these  characteristics,
management  expects a certain amount of decline in production to continue in the
future  until the  Partnership's  economically  recoverable  reserves  are fully
depleted.
                                        7

<PAGE>



The average  price  received per barrel of oil  increased  $2.97,  or 16%,  from
$18.86 for the three  months  ended March 31, 1996 to $21.83 for the same period
in 1997,  while the average price  received per mcf increased 29% from $2.25 for
the three  months  ended March 31, 1996 to $2.91 as compared to the three months
ended  March 31,  1997.  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 three months ended March 31, 1997.

Costs and Expenses:

Total costs and expenses  increased to $321,356 for the three months ended March
31, 1997 as compared  to  $278,409  for the same period in 1996,  an increase of
$42,947, or 15%. This increase was attributable to increases in production costs
and  general  and  administrative  expenses  ("G&A"),  offset by a  decrease  in
depletion.

Production  costs were  $229,254  for the three  months ended March 31, 1997 and
$181,395 for the same period in 1996  resulting in a $47,859  increase,  or 26%.
The  increase  was due to  increases  in well repair and  maintenance  costs and
workover expenses incurred in an effort to stimulate well production.

G&A's  components are independent  accounting and engineering  fees and managing
general  partner  personnel  and  operating  costs.   During  this  period,  G&A
increased,  in aggregate,  11% from $12,079 for the three months ended March 31,
1996 to $13,438 for the same period in 1997.

Depletion  was $78,664  for the three  months  ended March 31, 1997  compared to
$84,935 for the same period in 1996, a decrease of $6,271, or 7%.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating  activities  increased  $102,645 during the three
months  ended  March 31, 1997 from the same period in 1996.  This  increase  was
attributable  to an  increase  in oil and gas sales  receipts  and a decrease in
expenditures for production costs.

Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities

The Partnership's  investing  activities during the three months ended March 31,
1997 and 1996 were related to the addition or disposal of oil and gas  equipment
on active properties.

Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

Cash  was  sufficient  for the  three  months  ended  March  31,  1997 to  cover
distributions  to the partners of $205,633 of which $159,941 was  distributed to
the limited  partners and $45,692 to the general  partners.  For the same period

                                        8

<PAGE>



ended March 31, 1996, cash was sufficient for  distributions  to the partners of
$162,171 of which $120,932 was  distributed to the limited  partners and $41,239
to the general 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.

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

(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.    Financial Data Schedule

(b)    Reports on Form 8-K - none

                                        9

<PAGE>


                           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:   Parker & Parsley Development L.P.,
                                   Managing General Partner

                                   By:    Parker & Parsley Petroleum USA, Inc.
                                          ("PPUSA"), General Partner



Dated:  May 9, 1997          By:     /s/ Steven L. Beal
                                   ------------------------------------------
                                   Steven L. Beal, Senior Vice President
                                    and Chief Financial Officer of PPUSA


                                       10

<PAGE>