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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.9

                           ATP OIL & GAS CORPORATION
                            1998 STOCK OPTION PLAN

     SECTION 1.  Purpose of the Plan.  The purpose of this ATP Oil & Gas
Corporation 1998 Stock Option Plan ("Plan") is to encourage ownership of common
stock, $1.00 par value ("Common Stock"), of ATP Oil & Gas Corporation, a Texas
corporation (the "Company"), by eligible employees of the Company and its
Affiliates (as defined below) and to provide increased incentive for such
employees to render services and to exert maximum effort for the business
success of the Company.  In addition, the Company expects that the Plan will
further strengthen the identification of employees with the stockholders.
Certain options to be granted under this Plan are intended to qualify as
Incentive Stock Options ("ISOs") pursuant to Section 422 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended ("Code"), while other options granted under this Plan
will be nonqualified options which are not intended to qualify as ISOs
("Nonqualified Options"), either or both as provided in the agreements
evidencing the options as provided in Section 6 hereof.  As used in this Plan,
the term "Affiliates" means any "parent corporation" of the Company and any
"subsidiary corporation" of the Company within the meaning of Code Sections
424(e) and (f), respectively.

     SECTION 2.  Administration of the Plan.

          (a) Composition of Committee.  The Plan shall be administered by a
     Compensation Committee designated by the Board of Directors of the Company
     ("Board") which shall also designate the Chairman of the Compensation
     Committee.  If the Company is subject to Section 16 of the Securities
     Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act"), the Compensation
     Committee shall be composed of not less than two Non-Employee Directors
     (within the meaning of such Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Securities and
     Exchange Commission ("Commission") under the Exchange Act ("Rule 16b-3")),
     each of whom shall be an "outside director" for purposes of Section
     162(m)(4) of the Code, and shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure
     of the Board.  The Compensation Committee as administrators of the Plan
     shall hereinafter be referred to as "Committee."

          (b) Committee Action.  The Committee shall hold its meetings at such
     times and places as it may determine.  A majority of its members shall
     constitute a quorum, and all determinations of the Committee shall be made
     by not less than a majority of its members.  Any decision or determination
     reduced to writing and signed by a majority of the members shall be fully
     effective as if it had been made by a majority vote of its members at a
     meeting duly called and held.  The Committee may designate the Secretary of
     the Company or other Company employees to assist the Committee in the
     administration of the Plan, and may grant authority to such persons to
     execute award agreements or other documents on behalf of the Committee and
     the Company.  Any duly constituted committee of the Board satisfying the
     qualifications of this Section 2 may be appointed as the Committee.

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          (c) Committee Expenses.  All expenses and liabilities incurred by the
     Committee in the administration of the Plan shall be borne by the Company.
     The Committee may employ attorneys, consultants, accountants or other
     persons.

     SECTION 3.  Stock Reserved for the Plan.  Subject to adjustment as provided
in Section 6(j) and (k) hereof, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock
that may be optioned under the Plan is ______________.  The shares subject to
the Plan shall consist of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or
previously issued shares of Common Stock reacquired and held by the Company and
such number of shares shall be and is hereby reserved for sale for such purpose.
Shares of Common Stock shall be deemed to have been issued under the Plan only
to the extent actually issued and delivered pursuant to an option.  To the
extent that an option lapses or the rights of its Optionee terminate or the
option is cashed-out, any such Common Stock subject to such option shall again
be available for grant of an option.  Any of such shares which may remain unsold
and which are not subject to outstanding options at the termination of the Plan
shall cease to be reserved for the purpose of the Plan, but until termination of
the Plan or the termination of the last of the options granted under the Plan,
whichever last occurs, the Company shall at all times reserve a sufficient
number of shares to meet the requirements of the Plan.

     SECTION 4.  Eligibility.  The persons eligible to participate in the Plan
as recipients of options ("Optionee") shall include employees of the Company or
its Affiliates at the time the option is granted.  An employee who has been
granted an option hereunder may be granted an additional option or options, if
the Committee shall so determine.

     SECTION 5.  Grant of Options.

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          (a) Committee Discretion.  Except where the Committee has explicitly
     given the authority to some other individual, the Committee shall have sole
     and absolute discretionary authority (i) to determine, authorize, and
     designate those employees of the Company or its Affiliates who are to
     receive options under the Plan, (ii) to determine the number of shares of
     Common Stock to be covered by such options and the terms thereof, and (iii)
     to determine the type of option granted:  ISO, Nonqualified Option or a
     combination of ISO and Nonqualified Options.  If the Company is subject to
     Section 16 of the Exchange Act, the Committee shall specifically pre-
     approve each grant to each Optionee subject to Section 16(b) of the
     Exchange Act in accordance with Rule 16b-3 as amended, unless such grant is
     or will be otherwise exempt from Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act.  The
     Committee shall thereupon grant options in accordance with such
     determinations as evidenced by a written option agreement.  Subject to the
     express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have discretionary
     authority to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to
     the Plan, to interpret the Plan, to prescribe and amend the terms of the
     option agreements (which need not be identical) and to make all other
     determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of the
     Plan.

          (b) Stockholder Approval.  All options granted under this Plan are
     subject to, and may not be exercised before, the approval of this Plan by
     the stockholders prior to the first anniversary date of the Board meeting
     held to approve the Plan, by the affirmative vote of the holders of a
     majority of the outstanding shares of the Company present, or represented
     by proxy, and entitled to vote thereat or by written consent in accordance
     with the laws of the State of Texas; provided that if such approval by the
     stockholders of the Company is not forthcoming, all options previously
     granted under this Plan shall be void.

          (c) Limitation on Incentive Stock Options.  The aggregate fair market
     value (determined in accordance with Section 6(b) of this Plan at the time
     the option is granted) of the Common Stock with respect to which ISOs may
     be exercisable for the first time by any Optionee during any calendar year
     under all such plans of the Company and its Affiliates shall not exceed
     $100,000.

     SECTION 6.  Terms and Conditions.  Each option granted under the Plan shall
be evidenced by an agreement, in a form approved by the Committee, which shall
be subject to the following express terms and conditions and to such other terms
and conditions as the Committee may deem appropriate.

          (a) Option Period.  The Committee shall promptly notify the Optionee
     of the option grant and a written agreement shall promptly be executed and
     delivered by and on behalf of the Company and the Optionee, provided that
     the option grant shall expire if a written agreement is not signed by said
     Optionee (or his agent or attorney) and returned to the Company within 60
     days from date of receipt by the Optionee of such agreement. The

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     date of grant shall be the date the option is actually granted by the
     Committee, even though the written agreement may be executed and delivered
     by the Company and the Optionee after that date. Each option agreement
     shall specify the period for which the option thereunder is granted (which
     in no event shall exceed ten years from the date of grant) and shall
     provide that the option shall expire at the end of such period. If the
     original term of an option is less than ten years from the date of grant,
     the option may be amended prior to its expiration, with the approval of the
     Committee and the Optionee, to extend the term so that the term as amended
     is not more than ten years from the date of grant. However, in the case of
     an ISO granted to an individual who, at the time of grant, owns stock
     possessing more than 10 percent of the total combined voting power of all
     classes of stock of the Company or its Affiliate ("Ten Percent
     Stockholder"), such period shall not exceed five years from the date of
     grant.

          (b) Option Price.  The purchase price of each share of Common Stock
     subject to each option granted pursuant to the Plan shall be determined by
     the Committee at the time the option is granted and, in the case of ISOs,
     shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of Common
     Stock on the date the option is granted, as determined by the Committee.
     In the case of an ISO granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, the option
     price shall not be less than 110% of the fair market value of a share of
     Common Stock on the date the option is granted.  The purchase price of each
     share of Common Stock subject to a Nonqualified Option under this Plan
     shall be determined by the Committee prior to granting the option.  The
     Committee shall set the purchase price for each share subject to a
     Nonqualified Option at such price as the Committee in its sole discretion
     shall determine, provided that the purchase price of each share of Common
     Stock subject to a Nonqualified Option shall not be less  than the fair
     market value of a share of Common Stock on the date the option is granted
     as determined by the Committee.

          For all purposes under the Plan, the fair market value of a share of
     Common Stock on a particular date shall be equal to the mean of the
     reported high and low sales prices of the Common Stock on the New York
     Stock Exchange Composite Tape on that date, or if no prices are reported on
     that date, on the last preceding date on which such prices of the Common
     Stock are so reported.  If the Common Stock is not traded on the New York
     Stock Exchange at the time a determination of its fair market value is
     required to be made hereunder, its fair market value shall be deemed to be
     equal to the average between the closing bid and ask prices of the Common
     Stock on the most recent date the Common Stock was publicly traded.  In the
     event the Common Stock is not publicly traded at the time a determination
     of its value is required to be made hereunder, the determination of its
     fair market value shall be made by the Committee in such manner as it deems
     appropriate.

          (c) Exercise Period.  An option may be exercised by an Optionee in
     whole or in part at any time during the Option Period beginning on the date
     of grant of the option,

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     subject to the limitation that said option shall not be exercisable for
     more than a percentage of the aggregate number of shares offered by such
     option determined by the occurrence of an initial public offering ("IPO")
     of Company Stock in accordance with the following schedule:

                Dates Involving                    Percentage of
               Occurrence of IPO                 Shares Purchasable
               -----------------                 ------------------

               Prior to Date of IPO                       0%
               Date of IPO                               33%
               First Anniversary of IPO                  66%
               Second Anniversary of IPO                100%

     Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon the occurrence of a Corporate Change
     (as defined in Section 6(j)), the Optionee shall become one hundred percent
     (100%) vested in all options previously granted to such Optionee under this
     Plan and such options shall immediately become fully exercisable.

     Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, the Committee, in
     its sole discretion, may waive the foregoing schedule of vesting and upon
     written notice to the Optionee, accelerate the earliest date or dates on
     which any of the options granted hereunder are exercisable.  However, no
     portion of any option may be exercisable by an Optionee prior to the
     approval of the Plan by the stockholders of the Company.

          (d) Procedure for Exercise.  Options shall be exercised by the
     delivery of written notice to the Secretary of the Company setting forth
     the number of shares with respect to which the option is being exercised.
     Such notice shall be accompanied by cash or cashier's check, bank draft,
     postal or express money order payable to the order of the Company, or at
     the option of the Committee, in Common Stock theretofore owned by such
     Optionee (or any combination of cash and Common Stock).  In the discretion
     of the Committee, payment for any shares subject to an option may also be
     made by delivering a properly executed exercise notice to the Company,
     together with a copy of irrevocable instructions to a broker to deliver
     promptly to the Company the amount of sale or loan proceeds necessary to
     pay the purchase price, and, if requested, by the amount of any federal,
     state, local or foreign withholding taxes.  To facilitate the foregoing,
     the Company may enter into agreements for coordinated procedures with one
     or more brokerage firms.  In addition, in the discretion of the Committee,
     payment for any shares subject to an option may also be made by instructing
     the Committee to withhold a number of such shares having a fair market
     value on the date of exercise equal to the aggregate exercise price of such
     option.

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     Notice may also be delivered by fax or telecopy provided that the purchase
     price of such shares is delivered to the Company via wire transfer on the
     same day the fax is received by the Company.  The notice shall specify the
     address to which the certificates for such shares are to be mailed.  An
     Optionee shall be deemed to be a stockholder with respect to shares covered
     by an option on the date the Company receives such written notice and such
     option payment.

     As promptly as practicable after receipt of such written notification and
     payment, the Company shall deliver to the Optionee certificates for the
     number of shares with respect to which such option has been so exercised,
     issued in the Optionee's name or such other name as Optionee directs;
     provided, however, that such delivery shall be deemed effected for all
     purposes when a stock transfer agent of the Company shall have deposited
     such certificates in the United States mail, addressed to the Optionee at
     the address specified pursuant to this Section 6(d).

          (e) Termination of Employment.  If an employee to whom an option is
     granted ceases to be employed by the Company for any reason other than
     death or disability, all options previously granted to such employee may be
     exercised (to the extent such employee would have been entitled to exercise
     such options at the date of termination) at any time, but in no event may
     the options be exercised after the last day of the Option Period.

          (f) Disability or Death of Optionee.  In the event of the
     determination of disability or death of an Optionee under the Plan while he
     is employed by the Company, the options previously granted to him may be
     exercised (to the extent he would have been entitled to do so at the date
     of the determination of disability or death) at any time and from time to
     time, within a one (1) year period after such determination of disability
     or death, by the former employee, the guardian of his estate, the executor
     or administrator of his estate or by the person or persons to whom his
     rights under the option shall pass by will or the laws of descent and
     distribution, but in no event may the option be exercised after its
     expiration under the terms of the option agreement.  An Optionee shall be
     deemed to be disabled if, in the opinion of a physician selected by the
     Committee, he is incapable of performing services for the Company of the
     kind he was performing at the time the disability occurred by reason of any
     medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected
     to result in death or to be of long, continued and indefinite duration.
     The date of determination of disability for purposes hereof shall be the
     date of such determination by such physician.  The Committee, in its sole
     discretion, may allow an Optionee to exercise all or a portion of the
     Options granted but unexercised for a longer period than one (1) year after
     disability or death.

          (g) Assignability.  An option shall not be assignable or otherwise
     transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution or
     pursuant to a qualified domestic

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     relations order as defined in the Code or Title I of the Employee
     Retirement Income Security Act, as amended, or the rules thereunder. During
     the lifetime of an Optionee, an option shall be exercisable only by him.

          (h) Incentive Stock Options.  Each option agreement may contain such
     terms and provisions as the Committee may determine to be necessary or
     desirable in order to qualify an option designated as an incentive stock
     option.

          (i) No Rights as Stockholder.  No Optionee shall have any rights as a
     stockholder with respect to shares covered by an option until the option is
     exercised by the written notice and accompanied by payment as provided in
     clause (d) above.

          (j) Extraordinary Corporate Transactions.  The existence of
     outstanding options shall not affect in any way the right or power of the
     Company or its stockholders to make or authorize any or all adjustments,
     recapitalizations, reorganizations, exchanges, or other changes in the
     Company's capital structure or its business, or any merger or consolidation
     of the Company, or any issuance of Common Stock or other securities or
     subscription rights thereto, or any issuance of bonds, debentures,
     preferred or prior preference stock ahead of or affecting the Common Stock
     or the rights thereof, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company, or
     any sale or transfer of all or any part of its assets or business, or any
     other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or
     otherwise.  If the Company recapitalizes or otherwise changes its capital
     structure, or merges, consolidates, sells all of its assets or dissolves
     (each of the foregoing a "Fundamental Change"), then thereafter upon any
     exercise of an option theretofore granted the Optionee shall be entitled to
     purchase under such option, in lieu of the number of shares of Common Stock
     as to which option shall then be exercisable, the number and class of
     shares of stock and securities to which the Optionee would have been
     entitled pursuant to the terms of the Fundamental Change if, immediately
     prior to such Fundamental Change, the Optionee had been the holder of
     record of the number of shares of Common Stock as to which such option is
     then exercisable.  If (i) the Company shall not be the surviving entity in
     any merger or consolidation (or survives only as a subsidiary of another
     entity), (ii) the Company sells all or substantially all of its assets to
     any other person or entity (other than a wholly-owned subsidiary), (iii)
     any person or entity (including a "group" as contemplated by Section
     13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) acquires or gains ownership or control of
     (including, without limitation, power to vote) more than 50% of the
     outstanding shares of Common Stock, (iv) the Company is to be dissolved and
     liquidated, or (v) as a result of or in connection with a contested
     election of directors, the persons who were directors of the Company before
     such election shall cease to constitute a majority of the Board (each such
     event in clauses (i) through (v) above is referred to herein as a
     "Corporate Change"), the Committee, in its sole discretion, may accelerate
     the time at which all or a portion of an Optionee's Options may be
     exercised for a limited period of time before or after a specified date.
     Further, in the event of a Corporate Change, the Committee,

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     in its discretion shall act to effect one or more of the following
     alternatives with respect to outstanding options, which may vary among
     individual Optionees and which may vary among options held by any
     individual Optionee: (i) determine a reasonable period of time on or before
     a specified date (before or after such Corporate Change) after which
     specified date all unexercised options and all rights of Optionees
     thereunder shall terminate, (2) require the mandatory surrender to the
     Company by selected Optionees of some or all of the outstanding options
     held by such Optionees (irrespective of whether such options are then
     exercisable under the provisions of the Plan) as of a date, before or after
     such Corporate Change, specified by the Committee, in which event the
     Committee shall thereupon cancel such options and the Company shall pay to
     each Optionee an amount of cash per share equal to the excess, if any, of
     the fair market value of the shares subject to such option over the
     exercise price(s) under such options for such shares, or (3) provide that
     thereafter upon any exercise of an option theretofore, granted the Optionee
     shall be entitled to purchase under such option, in lieu of the number of
     shares of Common Stock then covered by such option, the number and class of
     shares of stock or other securities or property (including, without
     limitation, cash) to which the Optionee would have been entitled pursuant
     to the terms of the agreement of merger, consolidation or sale of assets
     and dissolution if, immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or sale
     of assets and dissolution the Optionee has been the holder of record of the
     number of shares of Common Stock then covered by such option. The
     provisions contained in this paragraph shall not terminate any rights of
     the Optionee to further payments pursuant to any other agreement with the
     Company following a Corporate Change.

          (k) Changes in Company's Capital Structure.  If the outstanding shares
     of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or both, for which the
     option is then exercisable shall at any time be changed or exchanged by
     declaration of a stock dividend, stock split, or combination of shares, the
     number and kind of shares of Common Stock or other securities which are
     subject to the Plan or subject to any options theretofore granted, and the
     option prices, shall be appropriately and equitably adjusted so as to
     maintain the proportionate number of shares or other securities without
     changing the aggregate option price.

          (l) Acceleration of Options.  Except as hereinbefore expressly
     provided, (i) the issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any class
     of securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, for cash,
     property, labor or services, upon direct sale, upon the exercise of rights
     or warrants to subscribe therefor, or upon conversion of shares or
     obligations of the Company convertible into such shares or other
     securities, (ii) the payment of a dividend in property other than Common
     Stock or (iii) the occurrence of any similar transaction, and in any case
     whether or not for fair value, shall not affect, and no adjustment by
     reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of shares of
     Common Stock subject to options theretofore granted or the purchase price
     per share, unless the Committee shall determine in

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     its sole discretion than an adjustment is necessary to provide equitable
     treatment to Optionee. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained
     in this Plan, the Committee may in its sole discretion accelerate the time
     at which any option may be exercised, including, but not limited to, upon
     the occurrence of the events specified in this Section 6, and is authorized
     at any time (with the consent of the Optionee) to purchase options pursuant
     to Section 7.

          (m) Cashing Out Option.  On receipt of written notice of exercise, the
     Committee may elect to cash out all or part of the portion of the shares of
     Common Stock for which an option is being exercised by paying the optionee
     an amount, in cash or Common Stock, equal to the excess of the fair market
     value of the Common Stock over the option price times the number of shares
     of Common Stock for which the option is being exercised on the effective
     date of such cash-out.

          (n) Stockholders Agreement.  The Committee shall provide in the option
     agreement that prior to receiving any shares of Common Stock or other
     securities on the exercise of the option, the Optionee (or the Optionee's
     representative upon the Optionee's death) shall be required to execute the
     Company's Employee Stockholders Agreement.

     SECTION 7.  Amendments or Termination.  The Board may amend, alter or
discontinue the Plan, but no amendment or alteration shall be made which would
impair the rights of any Optionee, without his consent, under any option
theretofore granted, or which, without the approval of the stockholders, would:
(i) except as is provided in Section 6(k) of the Plan, increase the total number
of shares reserved for the purposes of the Plan, (ii) change the class of
persons eligible to participate in the Plan as provided in Section 4 of the
Plan, (iii) extend the applicable maximum option period provided for in Section
6(a) of the Plan, (iv) extend the expiration date of this Plan set forth in
Section 14 of the Plan, (v) except as provided in Section 6(k) of the Plan,
decrease to any extent the option price of any option granted under the Plan or
(vi) withdraw the administration of the Plan from the Committee.

     SECTION 8.  Compliance With Other Laws and Regulations.  The Plan, the
grant and exercise of options thereunder, and the obligation of the Company to
sell and deliver shares under such options, shall be subject to all applicable
federal and state laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any
governmental or regulatory agency as may be required.  The Company shall not be
required to issue or deliver any certificates for shares of Common Stock prior
to the completion of any registration or qualification of such shares under any
federal or state law or issuance of any ruling or regulation of any government
body which the Company shall, in its sole discretion, determine to be necessary
or advisable.  Any adjustments provided for in subparagraphs 6(j), (k) and (l)
shall be subject to any shareholder action required by Texas corporate law.

     SECTION 9.  Purchase for Investment.  Unless the options and shares of
Common Stock covered by this Plan have been registered under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, or the

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Company has determined that such registration is unnecessary, each person
exercising an option under this Plan may be required by the Company to give a
representation in writing that he is acquiring such shares for his own account
for investment and not with a view to, or for sale in connection with, the
distribution of any part thereof.

     SECTION 10.  Taxes.

          (a) The Company may make such provisions as it may deem appropriate
     for the withholding of any taxes which it determines is required in
     connection with any options granted under this Plan.

          (b) Notwithstanding the terms of Paragraph 10(a), any Optionee may pay
     all or any portion of the taxes required to be withheld by the Company or
     paid by him in connection with the exercise of a nonqualified option by
     electing to have the Company withhold shares of Common Stock, or by
     delivering previously owned shares of Common Stock, having a fair market
     value, determined in accordance with Paragraph 6(b), equal to the amount
     required to be withheld or paid; provided that such tax withholding or
     stock delivery rights was specifically pre-approved by the Committee as a
     feature of the option or is otherwise approved in accordance with Rule 16b-
     3.  An Optionee must make the foregoing election on or before the date that
     the amount of tax to be withheld is determined ("Tax Date").  All such
     elections are irrevocable and subject to disapproval by the Committee.

     SECTION 11.  Replacement of Options.  The Committee from time to time may
permit an Optionee under the Plan to surrender for cancellation any unexercised
outstanding option and receive from the Company in exchange an option for such
number of shares of Common Stock as may be designated by the Committee.  The
Committee may, with the consent of the person entitled to exercise any
outstanding option, amend such option, including reducing the exercise price of
any option to not less than the fair market value of the Common Stock at the
time of the amendment and extending the term thereof.

     SECTION 12.  No Right to Company Employment.  Nothing in this Plan or as a
result of any option granted pursuant to this Plan shall confer on any
individual any right to continue in the employ of the Company or interfere in
any way with the right of the Company to terminate an individual's employment at
any time.  The option agreements may contain such provisions as the Committee
may approve with reference to the effect of approved leaves of absence.

     SECTION 13.  Liability of Company.  The Company and any Affiliate which is
in existence or hereafter comes into existence shall not be liable to an
Optionee or other persons as to:

          (a) The Non-Issuance of Shares.  The non-issuance or sale of shares as
     to which the Company has been unable to obtain from any regulatory body
     having jurisdiction the

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     authority deemed by the Company's counsel to be necessary to the lawful
     issuance and sale of any shares hereunder; and

          (b) Tax Consequences.  Any tax consequence expected, but not realized,
     by any Optionee or other person due to the exercise of any option granted
     hereunder.

     SECTION 14.  Effectiveness and Expiration of Plan.  The Plan shall be
effective on the date of its approval and adoption by the Board.  If the
stockholders of the Company fail to approve the Plan within twelve months of the
date the Board approved the Plan, the Plan shall terminate and all options
previously granted under the Plan shall become void and of no effect.  The Plan
shall expire ten years after the date the Board approves the Plan and thereafter
no option shall be granted pursuant to the Plan.

     SECTION 15.  Non-Exclusivity of the Plan.  Neither the adoption by the
Board nor the submission of the Plan to the stockholders of the Company for
approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the
Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable,
including without limitation, the granting of restricted stock or stock options
otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either generally
applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

     SECTION 16.  Governing Law.  This Plan and any agreements hereunder shall
be interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas
and applicable federal law.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, and as conclusive evidence of the adoption of the
foregoing by directors of the Company, ATP Oil & Gas Corporation has caused
these presents to be duly executed in its name and behalf by its proper officers
thereunto duly authorized as of this __ day of ___________, 1998.

                              ATP OIL & GAS CORPORATION

                              By:

                              Name:

                              Title:
ATTEST:

                                       11<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.10

               FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE ATP OIL & GAS CORPORATION
                            1998 STOCK OPTION PLAN

                             W I T N E S S E T H:

   WHEREAS, ATP Oil & Gas Corporation (the "Company") presently maintains the
APT Oil & Gas Corporation 1998 Stock Option Plan which became effective on
__________________ (the "Plan"); and

   WHEREAS, the Company, pursuant to Section 7 of the Plan, has the right to
amend the Plan from time to time subject to certain limitations.

   NOW, THEREFORE, in order to make a certain revision desired by the Company,
the Plan is hereby amended in the following manner:

   1.  Effective as of the date hereof, Section 6(a)  is hereby amended in its
entirety to read as follows:

   (a) Option Period.  The Committee shall promptly notify the Optionee of the
   option grant and a written agreement shall promptly be executed and delivered
   by and on behalf of the Company and the Optionee, provided that the option
   grant shall expire if a written agreement is not signed by said Optionee (or
   his agent or attorney) and returned to the Company within 60 days from date
   of receipt by the Optionee of such agreement.  The date of grant shall be the
   date the option is actually granted by the Committee, even though the written
   agreement may be executed and delivered by the Company and the Optionee after
   that date.  Each option agreement shall specify the period ("Option Period")
   for which the option thereunder is granted which in no event shall exceed the
   earlier to occur of (i) the fifth (5th) anniversary date of the effective
   date of this Plan as determined under Section 14, if no IPO (as defined in
   Section 6(c) herein) has occurred prior to such date, or (ii) five (5) years
   after the date of an IPO (the "Maximum Option Period").  However, in the case
   of an ISO granted to an individual who, at the time of grant, owns stock
   possessing more than 10 percent of the total combined voting power of all
   classes of stock of the Company or its Affiliate ("Ten Percent Stockholder"),
   such period shall not exceed five years from the date of grant.

   2.  Effective as of the date hereof, the first paragraph of Section 6(b) is
hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:

   (b) Option Price.  The purchase price at which a share of Common Stock may be
   purchased upon the exercise of a Nonqualified Option granted pursuant to the
   Plan shall be determined by the Committee at the time the option is granted.
   The purchase price at which a share of Common Stock may be purchased upon the
   exercise of an ISO granted pursuant to the Plan shall be determined by the
   Committee at the time the option is granted and shall not be less than 100%
   of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date the option is
   granted, as determined by the Committee.  In the case of an ISO granted to a
   Ten Percent Stockholder, the option price shall not be less than 110% of the
   fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date the option is
   granted.
<PAGE>

   3.  Effective as of the date hereof, the last paragraph of  Section 6(c) is
hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:

   Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, the Committee, in its
   sole discretion, may either (i) provide for a vesting schedule which is
   different (longer) than the foregoing vesting schedule, but such different
   vesting schedule can only be a term of the original option agreement, and
   cannot be a term of any amendment thereto, unless otherwise agreed to by an
   Optionee or (ii) waive the foregoing schedule of vesting and upon written
   notice to the Optionee, accelerate the earliest date or dates on which any of
   the options granted hereunder are exercisable.  However, no portion of any
   option may be exercisable by an Optionee prior to the approval of the Plan by
   the stockholders of the Company.

   4.  Effective as of the date hereof, Section 14 is hereby amended in its
entirety to read as follows:

   SECTION 4.  Effectiveness and Expiration of Plan.  The Plan shall be
   effective on the date of its approval and adoption by the Board.  If the
   stockholders of the Company fail to approve the Plan within twelve months of
   the date the Board approved the Plan, the Plan shall terminate and all
   options previously granted under the Plan shall become void and of no effect.
   The Plan shall expire on the earlier to occur of (i) the fifth (5th)
   anniversary date of the effective date of this Plan, if no IPO has occurred
   prior to such date, or (ii) five (5) years after the date of an IPO.

   IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has executed this First Amendment to the ATP
Oil & Gas Corporation 1998 Stock Option Plan on this _____ day of
_________________________________, 2000.

                                    ATP OIL & GAS CORPORATION

                                    By:______________________________

                                       2

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