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 September 30, 1996

                                       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 14 pages.
                             -There are no exhibits-


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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 September 30, 1996 and
             December 31, 1995   ..................................    3

          Statements of Operations for the three and nine
            months ended September 30, 1996 and 1995...............    4

          Statement of Partners' Capital for the nine months
            ended September 30, 1996...............................    5

          Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended
            September 30, 1996 and 1995............................    6

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

Item 2.   Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
            Condition and Results of Operations....................    9
            


                           Part II. Other Information

Item 1.   Legal Proceedings........................................   13


          Signatures...............................................   14




                                        2

<PAGE>



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

                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.   Financial Statements
                                 BALANCE SHEETS

                                                   September 30,   December 31,
                                                       1996            1995
                                                   ------------    ------------
                                                    (Unaudited)
                 ASSETS

Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents, including interest
    bearing deposits of $364,539 at September 30
    and $371,563 at December 31                    $    365,039    $    377,780
  Accounts receivable - oil and gas sales               207,605         159,325
  Accounts receivable - other                               -             3,695
                                                    -----------     -----------
        Total current assets                            572,644         540,800
                                                    -----------     -----------

Oil and gas properties - at cost, based on the
  successful efforts accounting method               17,820,214      17,819,617
    Accumulated depletion                           (13,736,154)    (13,494,745)
                                                    -----------     -----------
        Net oil and gas properties                    4,084,060       4,324,872
                                                    -----------     -----------
                                                   $  4,656,704    $  4,865,672
                                                    ===========     ===========

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL

Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable - affiliate                     $     69,207    $    113,974

Partners' capital:
  Limited partners (19,505 interests)                 4,096,486       4,252,851
  General partners                                      491,011         498,847
                                                    -----------     -----------
                                                      4,587,497       4,751,698
                                                    -----------     -----------
                                                   $  4,656,704    $  4,865,672
                                                    ===========     ===========

The financial information included as of September 30, 1996 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     Nine months ended
                                    September 30,           September 30,
                               ---------------------   -----------------------
                                  1996        1995        1996         1995
                               ---------   ---------   ----------   ----------

Revenues:
  Oil and gas                  $ 440,353   $ 347,593   $1,260,313   $1,085,474
  Interest                         4,960       5,417       13,660        9,835
  Litigation settlement              -           -        852,211          -
  Gain on sale of assets             -        40,575          -         40,737
  Salvage income from
   equipment disposals               -           -            924          -
                                --------    --------    ---------    -------
                                 445,313     393,585    2,127,108    1,136,046
                                --------    --------    ---------    ---------
Costs and expenses:
  Oil and gas production         184,232     200,175      544,997      639,797
  General and administrative      14,439      12,231       41,534       35,516
  Depletion                       73,611     125,539      241,409      377,014
                                --------    --------    ---------    ---------
                                 272,282     337,945      827,940    1,052,327
                                --------    --------    ---------    ---------
Net income                     $ 173,031   $  55,640   $1,299,168   $   83,719
                                ========    ========    =========    =========
Allocation of net income 
  (loss):
    General partners           $  54,607   $  27,660   $  331,430   $   91,417
                                ========    ========    =========    =========

    Limited partners           $ 118,424   $  27,980   $  967,738   $   (7,698)
                                ========    ========    =========    =========
Net income (loss) per limited
  partnership interest         $    6.07   $    1.44   $    49.61   $     (.39)
                                ========    ========    =========    =========
Distributions per limited
  partnership interest         $    8.60   $    5.20   $    57.63   $    15.84
                                ========    ========    =========    =========

         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, 1996         $  498,847     $ 4,252,851     $ 4,751,698

    Distributions                    (339,266)     (1,124,103)     (1,463,369)

    Net income                        331,430         967,738       1,299,168
                                    ---------      ----------      ----------

Balance at September 30, 1996      $  491,011     $ 4,096,486     $ 4,587,497
                                    =========      ==========      ==========



         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)


                                                         Nine months ended
                                                            September 30,
                                                        1996           1995
                                                     -----------    ----------
Cash flows from operating activities:

   Net income                                        $ 1,299,168    $   83,719
   Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
     cash provided by operating activities:
       Depletion                                         241,409       377,014
       Gain on sale of assets                                -         (40,737)
       Salvage income from equipment disposals              (924)          -
   Changes in assets and liabilities:
       (Increase) decrease in accounts receivable        (44,585)       20,389
       Increase (decrease) in accounts payable           (44,760)       39,267
                                                      ----------     ---------
         Net cash provided by operating activities     1,450,308       479,652
                                                      ----------     ---------

Cash flows from investing activities:

   Additions to oil and gas properties                      (604)       (1,120)
   Proceeds from salvage income on equipment
     disposals                                               924           -
   Proceeds from sale of assets                              -         180,619
                                                      ----------     ---------
         Net cash provided by investing activities           320       179,499
                                                      ----------     ---------

Cash flows from financing activities:

   Cash distributions to partners                     (1,463,369)     (417,183)
                                                      ----------     ---------

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash
  equivalents                                            (12,741)      241,968
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period         377,780       100,066
                                                      ----------     ---------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period           $   365,039    $  342,034
                                                      ==========     =========

         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
                               September 30, 1996
                                   (Unaudited)

Note 1.

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

The Registrant  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.

In the opinion of management, the Registrant's unaudited financial statements as
of September 30, 1996 and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 1996
and  1995  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.  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  Registrant's  Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 1995, 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.

Note 3.

On May 25,  1993,  a final  settlement  agreement  was  negotiated,  drafted and
finally  executed,  ending litigation which had begun on September 5, 1989, when
the Registrant  filed suit along with other parties against Dresser  Industries,
Inc.;  Titan  Services,  Inc.;  BJ-Titan  Services  Company;  BJ-Hughes  Holding
Company;  Hughes Tool Company;  Baker Hughes Production  Tools,  Inc.; and Baker
Hughes  Incorporated  alleging that the defendants had  intentionally  failed to
provide the materials and services  ordered and paid for by the  Registrant  and
other parties in connection with the fracturing and acidizing of 523 wells,  and
then  fraudulently  concealed  the  shorting  practice  from  Parker  &  Parsley
Development L.P. ("PPDLP").  The May 25, 1993 settlement  agreement called for a
payment  of  $115  million  in  cash  by  the  defendants,  and  Southmark,  the
Registrant,  and the other  plaintiffs  indemnified  the defendants  against the
claims of Jack N.  Price.  The  managing  general  partner  received  the funds,
deducted  incurred  legal  expenses,  accrued  interest,  determined the general
partner's portion of the funds and calculated any inter-partnership allocations.

                                        7

<PAGE>




On May 3, 1993,  Jack N. Price,  the  attorney  who  represented  Gary G. "Zeke"
Lancaster in the Federal  Court  lawsuit,  filed suit in State Court in Beaumont
against all of the plaintiff partnerships,  including the Registrant and others,
alleging his  entitlement to 12% of the  settlement  proceeds.  Price's  lawsuit
claim for  approximately  $13.8 million is  predicated  on a purported  contract
entered  into with  Southmark  Corporation  in August 1988 in which he allegedly
binds the Registrant and the other  defendants,  as well as Southmark.  Although
PPDLP  believes the lawsuit was without  merit and has  vigorously  defended it,
PPDLP  has held in  reserve  approximately  12.5% of the total  settlement  (the
"Reserve") pending final resolution of the litigation.

A distribution of $91,000,000 was made to the working interest owners, including
the  Registrant,   on  July  30,  1993.  The  limited  partners  received  their
distribution  of $6,894,930,  or $353.50 per limited  partnership  interest,  in
September 1993. The allocation of the lawsuit settlement amount was based on the
original  verdict  entered on October 26, 1990.  The  allocation  to the working
interest  owners in each well (including the Registrant) was based on a ratio of
the relative  amount of damages due to  overcharges  for services and  materials
("Materials") and damages for loss of past and future production ("Production"),
each as determined in that initial judgment. Within the Registrant,  damages for
Materials  were allocated  between the partners based on their original  sharing
percentages for costs of acquiring and/or drilling of wells. Similarly,  damages
related to Production were allocated to the partners in the Registrant  based on
their respective share of revenues from the subject wells.

As a condition of the purchase by Parker & Parsley Petroleum Company of Parker &
Parsley Development Company ("PPDC"),  which was merged into PPDLP on January 1,
1995,  from its former  parent in May 1989,  PPDC's  interest in the lawsuit and
subsequent  settlement was retained by the former parent.  Consequently,  all of
PPDC's share of the settlement  related to its separately  held interests in the
wells and its partnership  interests in the sponsored  partnerships (except that
portion allocable to interests  acquired by PPDC after May 1989) was paid to the
former parent.

On September  20,  1995,  the Beaumont  trial judge  entered a summary  judgment
against Southmark for the $13,790,000  contingent fee sought by Price,  together
with prejudgment  interest,  and also awarded Price an additional  $5,498,525 in
attorneys'  fees. On January 22, 1996, the trial judge entered an  interlocutory
summary judgment  against Dresser  Industries and Baker Hughes for an amount yet
to be  determined.  Pursuant to their  indemnity  obligations,  the  Registrant,
Southmark,  PPDLP and other original  plaintiffs have  vigorously  protected the
rights of both Dresser and Baker Hughes.  Southmark has  vigorously  pursued its
appeal of the judgment,  and has posted a supersedeas  bond using the Reserve as
collateral. On April 29, 1996, all of the parties,  including the Registrant and
Southmark,  entered  into a $7.4 million  settlement  with Price which fully and
finally  resolves  all of the  litigation  and  disputes  between  the  parties,
including the Registrant's indemnity obligations to Dresser and Baker Hughes.

Pursuant to the settlement agreement,  all of the pending lawsuits and judgments
have been dismissed,  the supersedeas bond released, and the Reserve released as
collateral.  On June 28,  1996,  a final  distribution  was made to the  working
interest owners,  including $669,535, or $34.33 per limited partnership interest
to the Registrant and its partners.
                                        8

<PAGE>




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

Results of Operations

Nine months ended  September 30, 1996 compared with nine months ended  September
  30, 1995

Revenues:

The  Registrant's  oil and gas revenues  increased to $1,260,313 from $1,085,474
for the nine months ended September 30, 1996 and 1995, respectively, an increase
of 16%. The increase in revenues  resulted from higher average  prices  received
per  barrel of oil and mcf of gas,  offset by a 6%  decrease  in  barrels of oil
produced and sold and an 8% decrease in mcf of gas  produced  and sold.  For the
nine months ended  September 30, 1996,  43,607 barrels of oil were sold compared
to 46,552 for the same period in 1995, a decrease of 2,945 barrels. For the nine
months  ended  September  30,  1996,  150,571  mcf of gas were sold  compared to
164,421 for the same period in 1995,  a decrease of 13,850 mcf.  The decrease in
production  volumes  was  primarily  due to the decline  characteristics  of the
Registrant'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  Registrant's  economically  recoverable  reserves  are fully
depleted.

The average  price  received per barrel of oil  increased  $3.73,  or 22%,  from
$17.14  for the nine  months  ended  September  30,  1995 to $20.87 for the same
period in 1996 while the average  price  received per mcf of gas  increased  33%
from $1.75 for the nine months  ended  September  30, 1995 to $2.33 for the same
period in 1996. 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 Registrant may therefore sell its future
oil and gas  production  at average  prices  lower or higher than that  received
during the nine months ended September 30, 1996.

A gain on sale of assets of $40,737 was recognized  during the nine months ended
September 30, 1995 from the sale of five wells.  The gain  consisted of proceeds
received of $180,619  and  proceeds  receivable  of $10,533 from the sale of two
wells, an additional  proceeds receivable of $36,880 and a $3,695 receivable due
from the sale for post-closing  adjustments from the sale of three wells, offset
by the write-off of remaining capitalized well costs of $190,990.  There were no
sales for the nine months ended September 30, 1996.

Salvage income of $924 was received  during the nine months ended  September 30,
1996, from equipment  credits received on two fully depleted wells. No equipment
credits were received for the same period in 1995.

Costs and Expenses:

Total  costs and  expenses  decreased  to  $827,940  for the nine  months  ended
September  30,  1996 as compared to  $1,052,327  for the same period in 1995,  a

                                        9

<PAGE>



decrease of $224,387,  or 21%.  This  decrease was due to declines in production
costs and  depletion,  offset  by an  increase  in  general  and  administrative
expenses ("G&A").

Production  costs were $544,997 for the nine months ended September 30, 1996 and
$639,797 for the same period in 1995  resulting in a $94,800  decrease,  or 15%.
The decrease was attributable to less well repair and maintenance costs.

G&A's  components are  independent  accounting and  engineering  fees,  computer
services,  postage and managing  general partner  personnel  costs.  During this
period, G&A increased, in aggregate,  17% from $35,516 for the nine months ended
September 30, 1995 to $41,534 for the same period in 1996.

Depletion was $241,409 for the nine months ended  September 30, 1996 compared to
$377,014 for the same period in 1995,  representing  a decrease of $135,605,  or
36%. This decrease was primarily  attributable to the following  factors:  (i) a
reduction  in the  Registrant'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" ("FAS 121"),  (ii) a reduction in oil  production  of 2,945  barrels for the
nine months ended September 30, 1996 as compared to the same period in 1995, and
(iii) an increase in oil and gas reserves  during the third quarter of 1996 as a
result of higher commodity prices.

On May 25,  1993,  a final  settlement  agreement  was  negotiated,  drafted and
finally  executed,  ending litigation which had begun on September 5, 1989, when
the Registrant  filed suit along with other parties against Dresser  Industries,
Inc.;  Titan  Services,  Inc.;  BJ-Titan  Services  Company;  BJ-Hughes  Holding
Company;  Hughes Tool Company;  Baker Hughes Production  Tools,  Inc.; and Baker
Hughes  Incorporated  alleging that the defendants had  intentionally  failed to
provide the materials and services  ordered and paid for by the  Registrant  and
other parties in connection with the fracturing and acidizing of 523 wells,  and
then  fraudulently  concealed the shorting practice from PPDLP. The May 25, 1993
settlement  agreement  called  for a  payment  of  $115  million  in cash by the
defendants,  and Southmark, the Registrant, and the other plaintiffs indemnified
the defendants against the claims of Jack N. Price. The managing general partner
received  the  funds,  deducted  incurred  legal  expenses,   accrued  interest,
determined  the  general  partner's  portion  of the  funds and  calculated  any
inter-partnership allocations.

On May 3, 1993,  Jack N. Price,  the  attorney  who  represented  Gary G. "Zeke"
Lancaster in the Federal  Court  lawsuit,  filed suit in State Court in Beaumont
against all of the plaintiff partnerships,  including the Registrant and others,
alleging his  entitlement to 12% of the  settlement  proceeds.  Price's  lawsuit
claim for  approximately  $13.8 million is  predicated  on a purported  contract
entered  into with  Southmark  Corporation  in August 1988 in which he allegedly
binds the Registrant and the other  defendants,  as well as Southmark.  Although
PPDLP  believes the lawsuit was without  merit and has  vigorously  defended it,
PPDLP  has held in  reserve  approximately  12.5% of the total  settlement  (the
"Reserve") pending final resolution of the litigation.

A distribution of $91,000,000 was made to the working interest owners, including
the  Registrant,   on  July  30,  1993.  The  limited  partners  received  their

                                       10

<PAGE>



distribution  of $6,894,930,  or $353.50 per limited  partnership  interest,  in
September 1993. The allocation of the lawsuit settlement amount was based on the
original verdict entered  on October  26,  1990.   The allocation to the working
interest  owners in each well (including the Registrant) was based on a ratio of
the relative  amount of damages due to  overcharges  for services and  materials
("Materials") and damages for loss of past and future production ("Production"),
each as determined in that initial judgment. Within the Registrant,  damages for
Materials  were allocated  between the partners based on their original  sharing
percentages for costs of acquiring and/or drilling of wells. Similarly,  damages
related to Production were allocated to the partners in the Registrant  based on
their respective share of revenues from the subject wells.

As a condition  of the purchase by Parker & Parsley  Petroleum  Company of PPDC,
which was merged  into PPDLP on January 1, 1995,  from its former  parent in May
1989,  PPDC's interest in the lawsuit and subsequent  settlement was retained by
the former parent.  Consequently,  all of PPDC's share of the settlement related
to its separately held interests in the wells and its  partnership  interests in
the sponsored  partnerships (except that portion allocable to interests acquired
by PPDC after May 1989) was paid to the former parent.

On September  20,  1995,  the Beaumont  trial judge  entered a summary  judgment
against Southmark for the $13,790,000  contingent fee sought by Price,  together
with prejudgment  interest,  and also awarded Price an additional  $5,498,525 in
attorneys'  fees. On January 22, 1996, the trial judge entered an  interlocutory
summary judgment  against Dresser  Industries and Baker Hughes for an amount yet
to be  determined.  Pursuant to their  indemnity  obligations,  the  Registrant,
Southmark,  PPDLP and other original  plaintiffs have  vigorously  protected the
rights of both Dresser and Baker Hughes.  Southmark has  vigorously  pursued its
appeal of the judgment,  and has posted a supersedeas  bond using the Reserve as
collateral. On April 29, 1996, all of the parties,  including the Registrant and
Southmark,  entered  into a $7.4 million  settlement  with Price which fully and
finally  resolves  all of the  litigation  and  disputes  between  the  parties,
including the Registrant's indemnity obligations to Dresser and Baker Hughes.

Pursuant to the settlement agreement,  all of the pending lawsuits and judgments
have been dismissed,  the supersedeas bond released, and the Reserve released as
collateral.  On June 28,  1996,  a final  distribution  was made to the  working
interest owners,  including $669,535, or $34.33 per limited partnership interest
to the Registrant and its partners.

Three months ended September 30, 1996 compared with three months ended September
  30, 1995

Revenues:

The  Registrant's  oil and gas revenues  increased to $440,353 from $347,593 for
the three months ended September 30, 1996 and 1995 respectively,  an increase of
27%. The increase in revenues  resulted from higher average prices  received per
barrel of oil and mcf of gas,  offset by a 6% decline in barrels of oil produced
and sold and a 4% decline in mcf of gas produced and sold.  For the three months
ended September 30, 1996, 14,846 barrels of oil were sold compared to 15,805 for
the same period in 1995, a decrease of 959  barrels.  For the three months ended
September 30, 1996,  51,948 mcf of gas were sold compared to 54,095 for the same

                                       11

<PAGE>



period in 1995, a decrease of 2,147 mcf. The decrease in production  volumes was
primarily due to the decline  characteristics  of the  Registrant's  oil and gas
properties.

The average  price  received per barrel of oil  increased  $5.29,  or 32%,  from
$16.43 for the three  months  ended  September  30, 1995 to $21.72 for the three
months ended  September 30, 1996 while the average price received per mcf of gas
increased 39% from $1.63 for the three months ended  September 30, 1995 to $2.27
for the same period in 1996.

A gain on sale of  assets of  $40,575  was  recognized  in 1995  resulting  from
proceeds  receivable  of $36,880 and a $3,695  receivable  due from the sale for
post-closing  adjustments  from  the sale of three  wells.  There  were no sales
during the three months ended September 30, 1996.

Costs and Expenses:

Total costs and  expenses  decreased  to  $272,282  for the three  months  ended
September  30,  1996 as compared  to  $337,945  for the same  period in 1995,  a
decrease of $65,663,  or 19%.  This  decrease was due to declines in  production
costs and depletion, offset by an increase in G&A.

Production costs were $184,232 for the three months ended September 30, 1996 and
$200,175 for the same period in 1995 resulting in a $15,943 decrease, or 8%. The
decrease was due to less well repair and maintenance costs.

G&A's  components are  independent  accounting and  engineering  fees,  computer
services,  postage and managing  general partner  personnel  costs.  During this
period, G&A increased, in aggregate, 18% from $12,231 for the three months ended
September 30, 1995 to $14,439 for the same period in 1996.

Depletion was $73,611 for the three months ended  September 30, 1996 compared to
$125,539  for the same period in 1995,  representing  a decrease of $51,928,  or
41%,  primarily  attributable to the following  factors:  (i) a reduction in the
Registrant's net depletable basis from charges taken in accordance with FAS 121,
(ii) a reduction  in oil  production  of 959 barrels for the three  months ended
September 30, 1996 as compared to the same period in 1995, and (iii) an increase
in oil and gas reserves  during the third  quarter of 1996 as a result of higher
commodity prices.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating  activities  increased  $970,656  during the nine
months  ended  September  30, 1996  compared  to the same  period in 1995.  This
increase  was  primarily  due to the  receipt of  proceeds  from the  litigation
settlement  as  discussed  in Note 3, in  addition to an increase in oil and gas
sales.

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Net Cash Provided by Investing Activities

The Registrant's  investment  activities  during the nine months ended September
30, 1996 and 1995  included  expenditures  related to equipment  replacement  on
various oil and gas properties.

During the nine months ended September 30, 1996,  proceeds of $924 were received
from the disposal of oil and gas equipment on two fully depleted properties. For
the same period in 1995, proceeds of $180,619 were received from the sale of two
oil and gas wells.

Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

Cash was  sufficient  for the nine  months  ended  September  30,  1996 to cover
distributions  to the partners of $1,463,369 of which $1,124,103 was distributed
to the limited  partners  and  $339,266 to the  general  partners.  For the same
period ended  September 30, 1995, cash was sufficient for  distributions  to the
partners of $417,183 of which $308,935 was  distributed to the limited  partners
and $108,248 to the general partners.

Cash  distributions  to the  partners of  $1,463,369  for the nine months  ended
September 30, 1996 included $669,535 to the limited partners and $182,676 to the
general partners,  resulting from proceeds received in the litigation settlement
as discussed in Note 3.

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 1.    Legal Proceedings

During  April  1996,  the  Registrant  completed  the  settlement  of a material
litigation to which it was a party.  This  litigation and settlement  thereof is
described in Note 3 of Notes to Financial Statements above.



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

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




Dated:  November 12, 1996      By:   /s/ Steven L. Beal
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                     Steven L. Beal, Senior Vice President
                                       and Chief Financial Officer of PPUSA



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