Exhibit 10.08

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT


         THIS EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT  ("Agreement")  made this 1st day of August,
1997, between Equitable Resources,  Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation,  having an
address  of  420  Boulevard  of  the  Allies,  Pittsburgh,   Pennsylvania  15219
(hereinafter  "Company") and Donald I. Moritz,  having an address of 75 Woodland
Road, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15232 (hereinafter "Employee").

                                    RECITALS
         WHEREAS,  Employee  has  served the  Company  in a long and  successful
tenure as Chief  Executive  Officer and has developed an extensive  knowledge of
the Company's business operations and the natural gas industry in general; and

         WHEREAS,  Company  desires  Employee  to  be  available  for  temporary
part-time  employment  in  order  to  have  the  benefit  of his  knowledge  and
experience.

         NOW  THEREFORE,   in  consideration  of  the  foregoing  premises,  and
intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as follows:

         1. SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED. Employee will provide day-to-day management
and  direction  of Company and will  perform  the duties of the Chief  Executive
Officer position during the term of this Agreement.  Employee shall be available
to render services in person or by other methods,  including mail, telephone, or
telecommunication  at  such  offices  and  locations  as the  Company  may  deem
necessary.  Such  services  shall be  rendered  by  Employee  to the best of his
abilities in a manner  consistent  with his expertise and  experience.  Employee
shall  report  and be  responsible  to  Governance  Committee  of the  Board  of
Directors of the Company.

         2. COMPENSATION. Employee shall receive a monthly salary of $43,550.00,
which shall be paid to  Employee in arrears the first week of each month  during
the term of this  Agreement,  beginning  September  1997.  Employee  shall  also
receive  reimbursement  for  reasonable  out-of-town  travel,   parking,  meals,
lodging,  and  other  such  out-of-pocket  expenses  properly  incurred  in  the
performance of services  hereunder,  upon  submission of such supporting data as
the Company may reasonably require. Employee shall be eligible to participate in
the Short Term Incentive Plan on a pro rata share basis. Employee shall continue
to be  eligible to receive  applicable  Board of  Directors'  fees as long as he
continues as member of the Company's Board of Directors.

         3. TERM.  The term of this  Agreement  shall  commence  as of August 1,
1997, and continue on a  month-to-month  basis until  terminated by either party
upon 30 days' written notice, without further obligation except for compensation
accrued prior to the termination date; provided,  however, upon Employee's death
or substantial disability, the contract shall automatically terminate.

         4. EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIP.  Employee shall at all times be a temporary
part-time  employee,  subject to the obligations and benefits applicable to such
status.

         5.   CONFIDENTIALITY.   Employee   acknowledges  and  agrees  that  his
employment  by  the  Company  under  this  Agreement  necessarily  involves  his
knowledge of and access to confidential and proprietary  information  pertaining
to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries.  Accordingly,  the Employee
agrees that all time during the term of this  Agreement  and for a period of two
(2) years after the termination of the Employee's employment hereunder,  he will
not,  directly  or  indirectly,  without the express  written  authority  of the
Company,  unless directed by applicable legal authority having jurisdiction over
the  Employee,  disclose to or use, or  knowingly  permit to be so  disclosed or
used, for the benefit of himself, any person,  corporation or other entity other
than the Company, (i) any information concerning any financial matters, customer
relationships,  competitive status,  supplier matters,  internal  organizational
matters,  current or future plans,  or other business  affairs of or relating to
the Company  and its  subsidiaries,  (ii) any  management,  operational,  trade,
technical or other secrets or any other proprietary information or other data of
the Company or its subsidiaries,  or (iii) any other information  related to the
Company or its subsidiaries or which the Employee should reasonably believe will
be damaging to the Company or its  subsidiaries  which has not been published an
is not generally known outside of the Company.  The Employee  acknowledges  that
all of the foregoing,  constitutes  confidential  and  proprietary  information,
which is the exclusive property of the Company.

         6. COMPLETE AGREEMENT.  This Agreement supersedes all prior written and
oral agreements,  obligations,  or  understandings  between the parties,  and is
intended as a complete  and  exclusive  statement of the  agreement  between the
parties   regarding  the  matters   covered   herein.   No  oral  agreements  or
understandings,  and no amendment  to this  Agreement,  shall be binding  unless
agreed to in writing  by the  parties.  Employee  agrees  that the  compensation
provided  for herein is  Employee's  sole and entire  compensation  for services
rendered to the Company pursuant to this Agreement.

         7.  NOTICES.  All notices  hereunder  shall be in writing and delivered
personally or by mail, fax, or courier service to the following addresses of the
parties or to such other addresses as they may by written notice designate:

         Equitable Resources, Inc.          Mr. Donald I.  Moritz
         420 Boulevard of the Allies        75 Woodland Road
         Pittsburgh, PA 15219               Pittsburgh, PA 15232
         Attn: Corporate Secretary

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  parties  have  executed  this  Agreement  in
counterpart as of the date first above written.

ATTEST:                                     EQUITABLE RESOURCES, INC.


By:     /s/ Audrey C. Moeller               By:   /s/ Gregory R. Spencer
   ---------------------------------           --------------------------------
Its:       Vice President and               Its:  Senior Vice President and
          Corporate Secretary                    Chief Administrative Officer


WITNESS:                                    EMPLOYEE:


By:     /s/ Katrina Pyrek                   By:   /s/ Donald I. Moritz
   ---------------------------------           --------------------------------



                          EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT ADDENDUM

         WHEREAS, Equitable Resources,  Inc. (hereinafter the "Company") and
Donald I. Moritz (hereinafter the "Employee") desire to clarify and/or modify 
the terms of the Employee's employment contract dated August 1, 1997
(hereinafter the "Agreement").

         For good and valuable consideration,  and intending to be legally bound
hereby, the parties agree as follows:

         Section 1 of the  Agreement  shall be clarified by adding the following
sentence:

1.       The Employee's performance objectives shall be the following:

         (a)      To  stabilize   the   Company's   earnings   through   revenue
                  enhancement and cost containment.

         (b)      To stabilize the organization and bring operations as close to
                  plan as possible.

         (c)      To focus the organization more on short-term results.

2.       Section 2 of the  Agreement  shall be modified  by  revising  the third
         sentence thereof to read as follows:

                  Employee  shall be eligible to  participate  in the Short-Term
                  Incentive Plan on a full-year basis for 1997.


DATED this 19th day of November, 1997.

ATTEST:                                  EQUITABLE RESOURCES, INC.


       /s/ Audrey C. Moeller             By:      /s/ Gregory R. Spencer
- --------------------------------------      ------------------------------------
Vice President and Corporate Secretary           Senior Vice President and
                                                Chief Administrative Officer



WITNESS:                                 EMPLOYEE:


       /s/ Katrina Pyrek                         /s/ Donald I. Moritz
- --------------------------------------      ------------------------------------
                                                     Donald I. Moritz