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                                FORM 10-Q


                    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

(Mark One)

(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 number 0-17707


               Southwest Oil & Gas Income Fund VIII-A, L.P.
                  (Exact name of registrant as specified
                  in its limited partnership agreement)

Delaware                                    75-2220097
(State or other jurisdiction of                (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                Identification No.)


                       407 N. Big Spring, Suite 300
                           Midland, Texas 79701
                 (Address of principal executive offices)

                             (915) 686-9927
                     (Registrant's telephone number,
                           including area code)

Indicate  by  check  mark  whether 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

        The total number of pages contained in this report is 14.

<PAGE>

                     PART I. - FINANCIAL INFORMATION


Item 1. Financial Statements

The  unaudited  condensed financial statements included  herein  have  been
prepared  by  the Registrant (herein also referred to as the "Partnership")
in  accordance  with generally accepted accounting principles  for  interim
financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01
of Regulation S-X.  Accordingly, they do not include all of the information
and  footnotes  required  by generally accepted accounting  principles  for
complete   financial  statements.   In  the  opinion  of  management,   all
adjustments necessary for a fair presentation have been included and are of
a  normal  recurring nature.  The financial statements should  be  read  in
conjunction with the audited financial statements and the notes thereto for
the  year ended December 31, 1997 which are found in the Registrant's  Form
10-K  Report  for  1997 filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission.
The December 31, 1997 balance sheet included herein has been taken from the
Registrant's  1997 Form 10-K Report.  Operating results for the  three  and
six month periods ended June 30, 1998 are not necessarily indicative of the
results that may be expected for the full year.

<PAGE>
               Southwest Oil & Gas Income Fund VIII-A, L.P.

                              Balance Sheets


                                                 June 30,      December 31,
                                                   1998            1997
                                                ---------      ------------
                                               (unaudited)
  Assets

Current assets:
 Cash and cash equivalents                   $      6,688           2,669
 Receivable from Managing General Partner          61,979         141,933
 Other receivable                                       -          40,239
                                                ---------       ---------
    Total current assets                           68,667         184,841
                                                ---------       ---------
Oil and gas properties - using the
 full cost method of accounting                 5,401,265       5,406,615
  Less accumulated depreciation,
   depletion and amortization                   4,438,665       4,281,109
                                                ---------       ---------
    Net oil and gas properties                    962,600       1,125,506
                                                ---------       ---------
                                             $  1,031,267       1,310,347
                                                =========       =========
  Liabilities and Partners' Equity

Current liability - Distributions payable    $        827             686
                                                ---------       ---------
Partners' equity:
 General partners                                 (1,038)          10,405
 Limited partners                               1,031,478       1,299,256
                                                ---------       ---------
    Total partners' equity                      1,030,440       1,309,661
                                                ---------       ---------
                                             $  1,031,267       1,310,347
                                                =========       =========

<PAGE>
               Southwest Oil & Gas Income Fund VIII-A, L.P.

                         Statements of Operations
                               (unaudited)


                                 Three Months Ended      Six Months Ended
                                       June 30,              June 30,
                                    1998      1997        1998      1997

  Revenues

Oil and gas                   $   218,924    391,226    497,910    768,685
Interest                              445        475      1,228      1,210
                                  -------    -------    -------    -------
                                  219,369    391,701    499,138    769,895
                                  -------    -------    -------    -------

  Expenses

Production                        206,044    198,120    403,713    403,821
General and administrative         28,613     25,346     63,353     59,369
Depreciation, depletion and
 amortization                      68,000     27,000    121,000     53,000
Provision for impairment of oil
 and gas properties                36,556          -     36,556          -
                                  -------    -------    -------    -------
                                  339,213    250,466    624,622    516,190
                                  -------    -------    -------    -------
Net income (loss)             $ (119,844)    141,235  (125,484)    253,705
                                  =======    =======    =======    =======
Net income (loss) allocated to:

 Managing General Partner     $   (1,376)     15,141      2,887     27,603
                                  =======    =======    =======    =======
 General Partner              $     (152)      1,683        320      3,067
                                  =======    =======    =======    =======
 Limited partners             $ (118,316)    124,411  (128,691)    223,035
                                  =======    =======    =======    =======
  Per limited partner unit    $    (8.70)       9.15     (9.47)      16.40
                                  =======    =======    =======    =======

<PAGE>
               Southwest Oil & Gas Income Fund VIII-A, L.P.

                         Statements of Cash Flows
                               (unaudited)


                                                        Six Months Ended
                                                             June 30,
                                                          1998      1997

Cash flows from operating activities:

 Cash received from oil and gas sales               $   572,486    857,491
 Cash paid to suppliers                               (461,688)  (479,504)
 Interest received                                        1,228      1,210
                                                       --------   --------
  Net cash provided by operating activities             112,026    379,197
                                                       --------   --------
Cash flows from investing activities:

 Cash received from sale of oil and gas properties       45,589     12,193
 Additions to oil and gas properties                          -    (7,649)
                                                       --------   --------
  Net cash provided by investing activities              45,589      4,544
                                                       --------   --------
Cash flows used in financing activities:

 Distributions to partners                            (153,596)  (429,560)
                                                       --------   --------

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash
 equivalents                                              4,019   (45,819)

 Beginning of period                                      2,669     55,844
                                                       --------   --------
 End of period                                      $     6,688     10,025
                                                       ========   ========

                                                               (continued)

<PAGE>
               Southwest Oil & Gas Income Fund VIII-A, L.P.

                   Statements of Cash Flows, continued
                               (unaudited)


                                                        Six Months Ended
                                                             June 30,
                                                          1998      1997

Reconciliation of net income (loss) to net
 cash provided by operating activities:

Net income (loss)                                   $ (125,484)    253,705

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to
 net cash provided by operating activities:

  Depreciation, depletion and amortization              121,000     53,000
  Provision for impairment of oil and gas
   properties                                            36,556          -
  Decrease in receivables                                74,576     88,806
  Increase (decrease) in payables                         5,378   (16,314)
                                                        -------    -------
Net cash provided by operating activities           $   112,026    379,197
                                                        =======    =======

<PAGE>
Item 2.   Management's  Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition  and
          Results of Operations

General
Southwest  Oil & Gas Income Fund VIII-A, L.P. was organized as  a  Delaware
limited  partnership  on November 30, 1987. The offering  of  such  limited
partnership interests began on March 31, 1988, minimum capital requirements
were  met  on July 6, 1988, and the offering concluded on March  31,  1989,
with total limited partner contributions of $6,798,000.

The  Partnership was formed to acquire interests in producing oil  and  gas
properties,  to produce and market crude oil and natural gas produced  from
such properties, and to distribute the net proceeds from operations to  the
limited  and  general partners.  Net revenues from producing  oil  and  gas
properties are not reinvested in other revenue producing assets  except  to
the extent that production facilities and wells are improved or reworked or
where methods are employed to improve or enable more efficient recovery  of
oil and gas reserves.

Increases   or   decreases   in  Partnership   revenues   and,   therefore,
distributions  to partners will depend primarily on changes in  the  prices
received  for production, changes in volumes of production sold,  increases
and  decreases  in  lease operating expenses, enhanced  recovery  projects,
offset  drilling  activities pursuant to farm-out  arrangements,  sales  of
properties,  and  the depletion of wells.  Since wells deplete  over  time,
production can generally be expected to decline from year to year.

Well  operating costs and general and administrative costs usually decrease
with   production   declines;  however,  these  costs  may   not   decrease
proportionately.  Net income available for distribution to the partners  is
therefore expected to fluctuate in later years based on these factors.

Based  on  current  conditions, management does not  anticipate  performing
workovers  during the year.  The Partnership may undergo an increase  later
in  1998.   Thereafter, the Partnership could possibly experience a  normal
decline of 10% to 12% per year.

Oil and Gas Properties

Oil  and  gas  properties  are accounted for at cost  under  the  full-cost
method.  Under this method, all productive and nonproductive costs incurred
in  connection with the acquisition, exploration and development of oil and
gas  reserves  are capitalized.  Gain or loss on the sale of  oil  and  gas
properties  is not recognized unless significant oil and gas  reserves  are
involved.

The  Partnership's policy for depreciation, depletion and  amortization  of
oil  and  gas  properties is computed under the units  of  revenue  method.
Under the units of revenue method, depreciation, depletion and amortization
is  computed  on  the  basis of current gross revenues from  production  in
relation  to future gross revenues, based on current prices, from estimated
production of proved oil and gas reserves.

Should the net capitalized costs exceed the estimated present value of  oil
and gas reserves, discounted at 10%, such excess costs would be charged  to
current expense.  The Partnership reduced the net capitalized costs of  oil
and gas properties in quarter ended June 30, 1998 by approximately $36,556.
The  write-down has the effect of reducing net income, but did  not  affect
cash  flow  or  partner distributions.  A continuation  of  the  oil  price
environment experienced during the first half of 1998 will have an  adverse
affect  on  the Company's revenues and operating cash flow.  Also,  further
declines in oil prices could result in additional decreases in the carrying
value of the Company's oil and gas properties.



<PAGE>
Results of Operations

A.  General Comparison of the Quarters Ended June 30, 1998 and 1997

The  following  table  provides certain information  regarding  performance
factors for the quarters ended June 30, 1998 and 1997:

                                               Three Months
                                                  Ended          Percentage
                                                 June 30,         Increase
                                              1998       1997    (Decrease)
                                              ----       ----    ----------

Average price per barrel of oil          $    12.93     19.19      (33%)
Average price per mcf of gas             $     2.03      2.74      (26%)
Oil production in barrels                    14,000    17,100      (18%)
Gas production in mcf                        18,700    23,000      (19%)
Gross oil and gas revenue                $  218,924   391,226      (44%)
Net oil and gas revenue                  $   12,880   193,106      (93%)
Partnership distributions                $   11,500   185,000      (94%)
Limited partner distributions            $   10,350   166,500      (94%)
Per unit distribution to limited
 partners                                $      .76     12.25      (94%)
Number of limited partner units              13,596    13,596

Revenues

The  Partnership's oil and gas revenues decreased to $218,924 from $391,226
for the quarters ended June 30, 1998 and 1997, respectively, a decrease  of
44%.   The principal factors affecting the comparison of the quarters ended
June 30, 1998 and 1997 are as follows:

1.  The  average  price  for a barrel of oil received  by  the  Partnership
    decreased  during the quarter ended June 30, 1998 as  compared  to  the
    quarter ended June 30, 1997 by 33%, or $6.26 per barrel, resulting in a
    decrease  of approximately $107,000 in revenues.  Oil sales represented
    83%  of total oil and gas sales during the quarter ended June 30,  1998
    as compared to 84% during the quarter ended June 30, 1997.

    The  average  price  for  an  mcf of gas received  by  the  Partnership
    decreased during the same period by 26% or $.71 per mcf, resulting in a
    decrease of approximately $16,300 in revenues.

    The  total  decrease in revenues due to the change in  prices  received
    from  oil  and  gas production is approximately $123,300.   The  market
    price  for oil and gas has been extremely volatile over the past decade
    and  management expects a certain amount of volatility to  continue  in
    the foreseeable future.

<PAGE>
2.  Oil  production decreased approximately 3,100 barrels or 18% during the
    quarter  ended June 30, 1998 as compared to the quarter ended June  30,
    1997, resulting in a decrease of approximately $40,100 in revenues.

    Gas production decreased approximately 4,300 mcf or 19% during the same
    period, resulting in a decrease of approximately $8,700 in revenues.

    The  total  decrease  in revenues due to the change  in  production  is
    approximately $48,800.  The decrease in production is due primarily  to
    a  farm-out  agreement on one oil well which decreased the  partnership
    ownership  percentage and a gas plant explosion which caused a  decline
    in mcf's produced during the month of April 1998.

Costs and Expenses

Total  costs  and  expenses increased to $339,213  from  $250,466  for  the
quarters  ended June 30, 1998 and 1997, respectively, an increase  of  35%.
The  increase  is  the  result of higher lease operating  costs,  depletion
expense and general and administrative expense.

1.  Lease  operating  costs  and  production  taxes  were  4%  higher,   or
    approximately  $7,900 more during the quarter ended June  30,  1998  as
    compared to the quarter ended June 30, 1997.

2.  General and administrative costs consist of independent accounting  and
    engineering  fees,  computer services, postage,  and  Managing  General
    Partner  personnel costs.  General and administrative  costs  increased
    13%  or approximately $3,300 during the quarter ended June 30, 1998  as
    compared to the quarter ended June 30, 1997.

3.  Depletion expense increased to $68,000 for the quarter ended  June  30,
    1998  from  $27,000  for the same period in 1997.  This  represents  an
    increase  of 152%.  Depletion is calculated using the units of  revenue
    method  of  amortization based on a percentage of current period  gross
    revenues  to  total future gross oil and gas revenues, as estimated  by
    the  Partnership's  independent  petroleum  consultants.   Contributing
    factors  to  the increase in depletion expense between the  comparative
    periods  were  the decrease in the price of oil used to  determine  the
    Partnership's reserves for January 1, 1998 as compared  to  1997.   The
    Partnership reduced the net capitalized costs of oil and gas properties
    in  quarter  ended June 30, 1998 by approximately $36,556.  The  write-
    down  has  the effect of reducing net income, but did not  affect  cash
    flow or partner distributions.

<PAGE>
B.  General  Comparison of the Six Month Periods Ended June  30,  1998  and
    1997

The  following  table  provides certain information  regarding  performance
factors for the six month periods ended June 30, 1998 and 1997:

                                                Six Months
                                                  Ended          Percentage
                                                 June 30,         Increase
                                              1998       1997    (Decrease)
                                              ----       ----    ----------

Average price per barrel of oil          $    13.60     20.01    (32%)
Average price per mcf of gas             $     2.27      2.53    (10%)
Oil production in barrels                    29,800    32,600     (9%)
Gas production in mcf                        40,800    45,900    (11%)
Gross oil and gas revenue                $  497,910   768,685    (35%)
Net oil and gas revenue                  $   94,197   364,864    (74%)
Partnership distributions                $  153,737   430,000    (64%)
Limited partner distributions            $  138,363   387,000    (64%)
Per unit distribution to limited
 partners                                $    10.18     28.46    (64%)
Number of limited partner units              13,596    13,596

Revenues

The  Partnership's oil and gas revenues decreased to $497,910 from $768,685
for  the  six months ended June 30, 1998 and 1997, respectively, a decrease
of  35%.  The principal factors affecting the comparison of the six  months
ended June 30, 1998 and 1997 are as follows:

1.  The  average  price  for a barrel of oil received  by  the  Partnership
    decreased during the six months ended June 30, 1998 as compared to  the
    six  months ended June 30, 1997 by 32%, or $6.41 per barrel,  resulting
    in  a  decrease  of  approximately $209,000  in  revenues.   Oil  sales
    represented 81% of total oil and gas sales during the six months  ended
    June  30, 1998 as compared to 85% during the six months ended June  30,
    1997.

    The  average  price  for  an  mcf of gas received  by  the  Partnership
    decreased during the same period by 10%, or $.26 per mcf, resulting  in
    a decrease of approximately $11,900 in revenues.

    The  total  decrease in revenues due to the change in  prices  received
    from  oil  and  gas production is approximately $220,900.   The  market
    price  for oil and gas has been extremely volatile over the past decade
    and  management expects a certain amount of volatility to  continue  in
    the foreseeable future.

<PAGE>
2.  Oil  production decreased approximately 2,800 barrels or 9% during  the
    six months ended June 30, 1998 as compared to the six months ended June
    30, 1997, resulting in a decrease of approximately $38,100 in revenues.

    Gas production decreased approximately 5,100 mcf or 11% during the same
    period, resulting in a decrease of approximately $11,600 in revenues.

    The  total  decrease  in revenues due to the change  in  production  is
    approximately $49,700.

Costs and Expenses

Total  costs and expenses increased to $624,622 from $516,190 for  the  six
months ended June 30, 1998 and 1997, respectively, an increase of 21%.  The
increase  is  the result of higher general and administrative  expense  and
depletion expense, partially offset by a decrease in lease operating costs.

1.  Lease operating costs and production taxes were less than 1% lower,  or
    approximately $100 less during the six months ended June  30,  1998  as
    compared to the six months ended June 30, 1997.

2.  General and administrative costs consist of independent accounting  and
    engineering  fees,  computer services, postage,  and  Managing  General
    Partner personnel costs.  General and administrative costs increased 7%
    or  approximately $4,000 during the six months ended June 30,  1998  as
    compared to the six months ended June 30, 1997.

3.  Depletion  expense increased to $121,000 for the six months ended  June
    30, 1998 from $53,000 for the same period in 1997.  This represents  an
    increase  of 128%.  Depletion is calculated using the units of  revenue
    method  of  amortization based on a percentage of current period  gross
    revenues  to  total future gross oil and gas revenues, as estimated  by
    the  Partnership's  independent  petroleum  consultants.   Contributing
    factors  to  the increase in depletion expense between the  comparative
    periods  were  the decrease in the price of oil used to  determine  the
    Partnership's reserves for January 1, 1998 as compared  to  1997.   The
    Partnership reduced the net capitalized costs of oil and gas properties
    in  quarter  ended June 30, 1998 by approximately $36,556.  The  write-
    down  has  the effect of reducing net income, but did not  affect  cash
    flow or partner distributions.

<PAGE>
Liquidity and Capital Resources

The  primary source of cash is from operations, the receipt of income  from
interests in oil and gas properties.  The Partnership knows of no  material
change, nor does it anticipate any such change.

Cash flows provided by operating activities were approximately $112,000  in
the six months ended June 30, 1998 as compared to approximately $379,200 in
the  six  months ended June 30, 1997.  The primary source of the 1998  cash
flow from operating activities was profitable operations.

Cash  flows provided by investing activities were approximately $45,600  in
the  six months ended June 30, 1998 as compared to approximately $4,500  in
the  six months ended June 30, 1997.  The principle source of the 1998 cash
flow from investing activities was the sale of oil and gas properties.

Cash flows used in financing activities were approximately $153,600 in  the
six months ended June 30, 1998 as compared to approximately $429,600 in the
six  months ended June 30, 1997.  The only use in financing activities  was
the distributions to partners.

Total distributions during the six months ended June 30, 1998 were $153,737
of  which  $139,087 was distributed to the limited partners and $14,650  to
the general partners.  The per unit distribution to limited partners during
the  six months ended June 30, 1998 was $10.23.  Total distributions during
the  six  months  ended June 30, 1997 were $430,000 of which  $387,000  was
distributed  to  the limited partners and $43,000 to the general  partners.
The  per unit distribution to limited partners during the six months  ended
June 30, 1997 was $28.46.

The  sources  for  the  1998 distributions of $153,737  were  oil  and  gas
operations  of  approximately $112,000 and the net change in  oil  and  gas
properties  of  approximately  $45,600,  resulting  in  excess   cash   for
contingencies  or  subsequent distributions.   The  sources  for  the  1997
distributions  of  $430,000  were oil and gas operations  of  approximately
$379,200  and  the  net change in oil and gas properties  of  approximately
$4,500,  with  the balance from available cash on hand at the beginning  of
the period.

Since  inception of the Partnership, cumulative monthly cash  distributions
of  $7,010,388  have  been made to the partners.   As  of  June  30,  1998,
$6,349,717 or $467.03 per limited partner unit has been distributed to  the
limited partners, representing an 91% return of the capital contributed.

As  of  June 30, 1998, the Partnership had approximately $67,800 in working
capital.   The  Managing  General Partner knows of no  unusual  contractual
commitments  and  believes  the  revenues  generated  from  operations  are
adequate to meet the needs of the Partnership.

Information Systems for the Year 2000

The  Managing  General Partner provides all data processing  needs  of  the
Partnership.   The Managing General Partner has reviewed and evaluated  its
information  systems  to determine if its systems accurately  process  data
referencing   the   year   2000.   Primarily  all   necessary   programming
modifications  to  correct year 2000 referencing in  the  Managing  General
Partners  internal accounting and operating systems have been made to-date.
However  the  Managing General Partner has not completed its evaluation  of
its vendors and suppliers systems to determine the effect, if any, the non-
compliance  of  such systems would have on the operation  of  the  Managing
General Partnership or the operations of the Partnership.

<PAGE>

                       PART II. - OTHER INFORMATION


Item 1.   Legal Proceedings

          None

Item 2.   Changes in Securities

          None

Item 3.   Defaults Upon Senior Securities

          None

Item 4.   Submission of Matter to a Vote of Security Holders

          None

Item 5.   Other Information

          None

Item 6.   Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

          (a)  Exhibits:

               27 Financial Data Schedule

          (b)  Reports on Form 8-K:

                          No  reports  on  Form 8-K were filed  during  the
               quarter ended June 30, 1998.

<PAGE>
                                SIGNATURES


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.

                                 SOUTHWEST OIL & GAS
                                 INCOME FUND VIII-A, L.P.
                                 a Delaware limited partnership


                                 By:   Southwest Royalties, Inc.
                                       Managing General Partner



                                 By:   /s/ Bill E. Coggin
                                       Bill E. Coggin, Vice
                                       President
                                       and Chief Financial Officer
Date: August 15, 1998

<PAGE>