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, 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. 33-19659-01

                           PARKER & PARSLEY 88-A, L.P.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

               Delaware                                     75-2225738
    (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 11 pages.
                            Exhibit index on page 10.


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                           PARKER & PARSLEY 88-A, L.P.

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


                                                                         Page
                          Part I. Financial Information

Item 1.     Financial Statements

            Balance Sheets as of September 30, 1997 and
               December 31, 1996   ....................................    3

            Statements of Operations for the three and nine
              months ended September 30, 1997 and 1996.................    4

            Statement of Partners' Capital for the nine months
              ended September 30, 1997.................................    5

            Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended
              September 30, 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...........................   10

            27.   Financial Data Schedule

            Signatures.................................................   11



                                        2

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                           PARKER & PARSLEY 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)

                          Part I. Financial Information


Item 1.   Financial Statements

                                 BALANCE SHEETS

                                                   September 30,   December 31,
                                                          1997          1996
                                                   ------------    -----------
                                                   (Unaudited)
                 ASSETS

Current assets:
   Cash, including interest bearing deposits of
     $188,451 at September 30 and $178,702
     at December 31                                $    188,851    $   179,202
   Accounts receivable - oil and gas sales              131,650        228,344
                                                    -----------     ----------
          Total current assets                          320,501        407,546
                                                    -----------     ----------
Oil and gas properties - at cost, based on the
   successful efforts accounting method              10,081,449     10,070,081
Accumulated depletion                                (6,718,533)    (6,537,411)
                                                    -----------     ----------
          Net oil and gas properties                  3,362,916      3,532,670
                                                    -----------     ----------
                                                   $  3,683,417    $ 3,940,216
                                                    ===========     ==========

LIABILITIES AND PARTNERS' CAPITAL

Current liabilities:
   Accounts payable - affiliate                    $     43,602    $    25,585

Partners' capital:
   Managing general partner                              36,640         39,388
   Limited partners (12,935 interests)                3,603,175      3,875,243
                                                    -----------     ----------
                                                      3,639,815      3,914,631
                                                    -----------     ----------
                                                   $  3,683,417    $ 3,940,216
                                                    ===========     ==========

The financial information included as of September 30, 1997 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 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)

                            STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                                   (Unaudited)




                                   Three months ended      Nine months ended
                                      September 30,           September 30,
                                 ---------------------   ---------------------
                                    1997       1996        1997        1996
                                 ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------
Revenues:
  Oil and gas                    $ 237,057   $ 319,859   $ 832,411   $ 974,534
  Interest                           3,104       3,384       9,168       9,135
                                  --------    --------    --------    --------
                                   240,161     323,243     841,579     983,669
                                  --------    --------    --------    --------
Costs and expenses:
  Oil and gas production           137,533     120,672     399,376     377,439
  General and administrative         7,011       9,596      24,972      29,236
  Depletion                         56,622      56,739     181,122     188,231
                                  --------    --------    --------    --------
                                   201,166     187,007     605,470     594,906
                                  --------    --------    --------    --------
Net income                       $  38,995   $ 136,236   $ 236,109   $ 388,763
                                  ========    ========    ========    ========
Allocation of net income:
  Managing general partner       $     390   $   1,363   $   2,361   $   3,888
                                  ========    ========    ========    ========
  Limited partners               $  38,605   $ 134,873   $ 233,748   $ 384,875
                                  ========    ========    ========    ========
Net income per limited
  partnership interest           $    2.98   $   10.42   $   18.07   $   29.75
                                  ========    ========    ========    ========
Distributions per limited
  partnership interest           $   10.49   $   14.51   $   39.10   $   40.32
                                  ========    ========    ========    ========



         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 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)

                         STATEMENT OF PARTNERS' CAPITAL
                                   (Unaudited)




                                    Managing
                                    general       Limited
                                    partner       partners        Total
                                   ---------     ----------     ----------

Balance at January 1, 1997         $  39,388     $3,875,243     $3,914,631

    Distributions                     (5,109)      (505,816)      (510,925)

    Net income                         2,361        233,748        236,109
                                    --------      ---------      ---------

Balance at September 30, 1997      $  36,640     $3,603,175     $3,639,815
                                    ========      =========      =========







         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 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)

                            STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                   (Unaudited)



                                                       Nine months ended
                                                          September 30,
                                                    ------------------------
                                                       1997          1996
                                                    ----------    ----------
Cash flows from operating activities:
  Net income                                        $  236,109    $  388,763
  Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
    cash provided by operating activities:
       Depletion                                       181,122       188,231
  Changes in assets and liabilities:
    (Increase) decrease in accounts receivable          96,694       (10,651)
    Increase (decrease) in accounts payable             18,017        (5,210)
                                                     ---------     ---------
        Net cash provided by operating activities      531,942       561,133
                                                     ---------     ---------
Cash flows from investing activities:
  Additions to oil and gas properties                  (11,368)       (1,144)

Cash flows from financing activities:
  Cash distributions to partners                      (510,925)     (526,754)
                                                     ---------     ---------
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents                9,649        33,235
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period       179,202       213,046
                                                     ---------     ---------
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period          $  188,851    $  246,281
                                                     =========     =========



         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 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware Limited Partnership)

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                               September 30, 1997
                                   (Unaudited)

Note 1.     Basis of presentation

In the opinion of  management,  the unaudited  financial  statements of Parker &
Parsley  88-A,  L.P.  (the  "Partnership")  as of September 30, 1997 and for the
three and nine months ended  September 30, 1997 and 1996 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  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 Rich Dealy,  Vice President and
Controller, 303 West Wall, Suite 101, Midland, Texas 79701.

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

As of August 8, 1997, Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. ("Pioneer USA") became
the  general  partner  of  the  Partnership.   Prior  to  August  8,  1997,  the
Partnership's general partner was Parker & Parsley Development L.P. ("PPDLP"), a
wholly-owned  subsidiary  of  Parker &  Parsley  Petroleum  Company  ("Parker  &
Parsley").  On  August  7,  1997,  Parker  &  Parsley  and  Mesa  Inc.  received
shareholder  approval  to merge and create  Pioneer  Natural  Resources  Company
("Pioneer").  On August 8, 1997,  PPDLP was merged with and into  Pioneer USA, a
wholly-owned  subsidiary  of  Pioneer,  resulting  in Pioneer USA  becoming  the
general  partner of the Partnership as PPDLP's  successor by merger.  For a more
complete description of the Parker & Parsley and Mesa Inc. merger, see Pioneer's
Registration  Statement  on Form S-4 as filed  with the  Securities  &  Exchange
Commission.

Results of Operations

Nine months ended September 30, 1997 compared with nine months ended
  September 30, 1996

Revenues:

The Partnership's  oil and gas revenues  decreased 15% to $832,411 from $974,534
for the nine  months  ended  September  30,  1997 as compared to the nine months
ended  September  30, 1996.  The decrease in revenues  resulted from declines in
barrels  of oil and mcf of gas  produced  and  sold  and a lower  average  price

                                        7

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received per barrel of oil, offset by a higher average price received per mcf of
gas. For the nine months ended  September 30, 1997,  28,350  barrels of oil were
sold  compared  to 32,824  for the same  period  in 1996,  a  decrease  of 4,474
barrels,  or 14%. For the nine months ended  September 30, 1997,  118,994 mcf of
gas were sold  compared to 130,542  for the same  period in 1996,  a decrease of
11,548 mcf, or 9%. The decreases in production volumes were primarily due to the
decline characteristics of the Partnership's oil and gas properties.  Because of
these decline 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.

The average price received per barrel of oil decreased $1.22, or 6%, from $20.90
for the nine months  ended  September  30, 1996 to $19.68 for the same period in
1997,  while the average  price  received per mcf of gas increased 5% from $2.21
during the nine months ended  September 30, 1996 to $2.31 for the same period in
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 nine
months ended September 30, 1997.

Costs and Expenses:

Total  costs and  expenses  increased  to  $605,470  for the nine  months  ended
September  30,  1997 as compared  to  $594,906  for the same period in 1996,  an
increase of $10,564.  This increase was due to an increase in production  costs,
offset by  decreases  in  depletion  and  general  and  administrative  expenses
("G&A").

Production  costs were $399,376 for the nine months ended September 30, 1997 and
$377,439 for the same period in 1996 resulting in a $21,937 increase, or 6%. The
increase was due to higher  workover and well  maintenance  costs 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
decreased,  in aggregate,  15%, from $29,236 for the nine months ended September
30,  1996 to $24,972  for the same  period in 1997.  The  Partnership  agreement
limits G&A to 3% of gross oil and gas revenues.

Depletion was $181,122 for the nine months ended  September 30, 1997 compared to
$188,231 for the same period in 1996,  representing a decrease of $7,109, or 4%.
This decrease was primarily attributable to a decline in oil production of 4,474
barrels for the nine  months  ended  September  30, 1997 as compared to the same
period ended 1996, offset by a decrease in oil reserves during 1997 due to lower
commodity prices.

Three months ended September 30, 1997 compared with three months ended
  September 30, 1996

Revenues:

The Partnership's  oil and gas revenues  decreased 26% to $237,057 from $319,859
for the three  months ended  September  30, 1997 as compared to the three months
ended  September  30, 1996.  The decrease in revenues  resulted from declines in
barrels  of oil and mcf of gas  produced  and  sold  and  lower  average  prices

                                        8

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received per barrel of oil and mcf of gas. For the three months ended  September
30, 1997,  8,660 barrels of oil were sold compared to 10,432 for the same period
in 1996,  a  decrease  of 1,772  barrels,  or 17%.  For the three  months  ended
September 30, 1997,  40,075 mcf of gas were sold compared to 45,373 for the same
period in 1996,  a decrease of 5,298 mcf, or 12%. The  decreases  in  production
volumes were primarily due to the decline  characteristics  of the Partnership's
oil and gas properties.

The average  price  received per barrel of oil  decreased  $3.59,  or 17%,  from
$21.67 for the three  months  ended  September  30,  1996 to $18.08 for the same
period in 1997.  The average  price  received  per mcf of gas  decreased 3% from
$2.07  during the three months  ended  September  30, 1996 to $2.01 for the same
period in 1997.

Costs and Expenses:

Total costs and  expenses  increased  to  $201,166  for the three  months  ended
September  30,  1997 as compared  to  $187,007  for the same period in 1996,  an
increase of $14,159,  or 8%. This  increase was due to an increase in production
costs, offset by decreases in G&A and depletion.

Production costs were $137,533 for the three months ended September 30, 1997 and
$120,672 for the same period in 1996,  resulting in a $16,861 increase,  or 14%.
The increase was due to additional well maintenance  costs 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
decreased,  in aggregate,  27% from $9,596 for the three months ended  September
30, 1996 to $7,011 for the same period in 1997.

Depletion was $56,622 for the three months ended  September 30, 1997 compared to
$56,739 for the same period in 1996,  representing a decrease of $117, primarily
attributable  to a decline  in oil  production  of 1,772  barrels  for the three
months ended  September 30, 1997 as compared to the same period in 1996,  offset
by a decrease  in oil  reserves  during  the third  quarter of 1997 due to lower
commodity prices.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities

Net cash  provided by operating  activities  decreased  $29,191  during the nine
months ended  September 30, 1997 from the same period ended  September 30, 1996.
This decrease was due to a decline in oil and gas sales receipts and an increase
in G&A expense paid, offset by a decrease in production costs paid.

Net Cash Used in Investing Activities

The Partnership's  principal  investing  activities during the nine months ended
September  30,  1997  and  1996  included   expenditures  related  to  equipment
replacement on various oil and gas properties.

                                        9

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Net Cash Used in Financing Activities

Cash was  sufficient  for the nine  months  ended  September  30,  1997 to cover
distributions to the partners of $510,925 of which $5,109 was distributed to the
managing  general  partner and  $505,816 to the limited  partners.  For the same
period ended  September 30, 1996 cash was  sufficient for  distributions  to the
partners of $526,754 of which $5,268 was  distributed  to the  managing  general
partner and $521,486 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.

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

(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





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                           PARKER & PARSLEY 88-A, L.P.
                        (A Delaware 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 88-A, L.P.

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




Dated:  November 13, 1997          By:     /s/ Rich Dealy
                                           ----------------------------------
                                           Rich Dealy, Vice President and
                                             Controller



                                       11

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