Key Energy Services, Inc.
                          Two Tower Center, 20th Floor
                           East Brunswick, New Jersey
                                                                              
                                                                              
                              As of January 4, 1999
                                                                              
Mr. Michael Furow
7004 Almey Court
Midland, Texas 79707
                                                                              
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
                                (this Agreement)
                                                                              
Dear Mike:
                                                                              
     Key Energy  Services,  Inc., a Maryland  corporation  formerly known as Key
     Energy Group,  Inc.  (the  "Company"),  with its  principal  offices at the
     address set forth above, and you, an individual with your address set forth
     above, agree as follows:

1.   Employment; Term. The Company agrees to employ you, and you agree to devote
     your  full time and best  efforts  to serve as a Vice  President  - Central
     Operations of the Company.  Your employment  will commence  effective as of
     January 4, 1999 (the  "Commencement  Date") and continue until the close of
     business  on January 3, 2002,  subject to  extension  as  provided  in this
     Section 1(a),  unless sooner  terminated in accordance  with this Agreement
     (the  "Initial  Employment  Period").  On each January 4,  commencing  with
     January 4, 2000, the term of your employment will be automatically extended
     for a period of twelve (12) months  unless  either you or the Company gives
     written  notice to the other,  no later than  thirty (30) days prior to the
     relevant  January 4, that such  automatic  extension  shall not occur.  The
     Initial Employment Period, together with any extensions,  until termination
     in accordance herewith is referred to herein as the "Employment Period".
                                                                              
                                                                        
                                                                              
                                                                              
2.   Salary; Bonus; Expenses. During the Employment Period, the Company will pay
     a salary  to you at the  annual  rate of not less  than One  Hundred  Sixty
     Thousand  Dollars  ($160,000)  per year (the  ABase  Salary@),  payable  in
     substantially  equal installments in accordance with the Company=s existing
     payroll  practices,  but no less frequently  than monthly.  For each fiscal
     year of the Company  commencing  after June 30, 1998, you shall be eligible
     to  participate  in an incentive  plan for the  Company=s  executives,  key
     employees and other persons involved in the business of the Company and its
     subsidiaries  (the  AIncentive  Plan@)  and  in the  Company=s  stock-based
     incentive plans  outstanding  from time to time.  Under the Incentive Plan,
     you shall be eligible to earn a cash bonus, payable within ninety (90) days
     after  each  fiscal  year end,  of up to fifty  percent  (50%) of your Base
     Salary,  such amount to be  determined by the Board based upon the level of
     achievement  of certain  goals to be  mutually  established  by you and the
     President  of  the  Company  (subject  to  Board  approval).  You  will  be
     reimbursed by the Company for reasonable  travel,  lodging,  meal and other
     expenses  incurred  by you in  connection  with  performing  your  services
     hereunder in accordance  with the  Company=s  policies from time to time in
     effect. You will be entitled to a vehicle allowance of $750 per month (plus
     reimbursement  for fuel and excess mileage in accordance with the Company=s
     expense reimbursement policies from time to time in effect).
                                                                                
3.   Benefit Plans;  Vacation;  Relocation Expenses. You will be entitled during
     the Employment  Period to not less than fifteen (15) vacation days and such
     other fringe benefits,  including,  without  limitation,  group medical and
     dental, life, executive life, accident and disability insurance, retirement
     plans and  supplemental and excess  retirement  benefits as the Company may
     provide  from time to time for its  senior  management.  In  addition,  the
     Company will  reimburse you for the following  out-of-pocket  expenses that
     you incur in connection  with your  relocation to Oklahoma City,  Oklahoma:
     (i) ordinary and  reasonable  realtor  fees and closing  costs  incurred in
     connection with the sale of your current primary  residence,  (ii) ordinary
     and reasonable  closing costs  incurred in connection  with the purchase of
     your new primary  residence in Oklahoma City, (iii) ordinary and reasonable
     costs incurred to transport your household  furnishings and effects to your
     new primary  residence in Oklahoma City,  (iv) ordinary and reasonable fees
     for  connecting  utilities in your new primary  residence in Oklahoma City,
     and (v)  ordinary  and  reasonable  costs  for up to  thirty  (30)  days of
     temporary  housing.  In  addition,  the  Company  will  pay you a  one-time
     relocation  allowance  of  $13,333,  subject to standard  withholdings  and
     deductions.  If required and at the Company=s sole discretion,  the Company
     will  consider  providing  additional  financial  or  other  assistance  in
     connection with selling your current primary residence.
                                                                         
                                                                               
4.   Severance.  In the event you are  terminated  (i) by the Company other than
     for  Cause  (defined  below)  or  (ii)  automatically  as a  result  of the
     Company=s   providing  notice  to  you  that  automatic  extension  of  the
     Employment  Period  shall  not  occur,  you  will be  entitled  to  receive
     severance compensation at your Base Salary at the monthly rate in effect on
     the termination date, payable in arrears, during the period expiring twelve
     (12)  months  after  the  termination  date,  commencing  at the end of the
     calendar month in which the  termination  date occurs;  provided,  however,
     that (A) in the event your  employment  should be terminated by the Company
     other  than for Cause  within  six  months  following  a Change of  Control
     (defined below) or in  anticipation  of a Change of Control,  the severance
     compensation referred to above shall be paid in one lump sum on the date of
     such termination, and (B) in the event your employment should be terminated
     by  the  Company  as a  result  of  your  disability,  then  the  severance
     compensation  referred  to above  shall be  reduced  by the  amount  of any
     disability  insurance  proceeds  actually  paid to you or for your  benefit
     during the said time period.  As used in this  Agreement,  the term ACause@
     shall  mean the  willful  and  continued  failure  by you to  substantially
     perform  your duties  hereunder  (other than any such  willful or continued
     failure resulting from your incapacity due to physical or mental illness or
     physical  injury),  or the willful  engaging by you in misconduct  which is
     materially  injurious  to the Company,  monetarily  or  otherwise,  or your
     conviction  of a felony by a court of  competent  jurisdiction.  As used in
     this  Agreement,  the term AChange of Control@  shall have that meaning set
     forth in the Key Energy Group, Inc. 1997 Incentive Plan.
                                                                                
5.   Limitation on Competition.  During the Employment  Period, and for a period
     of twelve (12) months after your  termination,  you shall not,  directly or
     indirectly,  without the prior written consent of the Company,  participate
     or  engage  in,  whether  as  a  director,   officer,  employee,   advisor,
     consultant,  stockholder,  partner,  joint venturer,  owner or in any other
     capacity,  any  business  engaged in the  business of  furnishing  oilfield
     services (a ACompeting Enterprise@);  provided, however, that you shall not
     be deemed to be  participating  or engaging in any such business  solely by
     virtue of your  ownership  of not more than  five  percent  of any class of
     stock or other securities which is publicly traded on a national securities
     exchange or in a  recognized  over-the-counter  market;  and, for that same
     period of time,  you shall not,  directly  or  indirectly,  solicit,  raid,
     entice or  otherwise  induce  any  employee  of the  Company  or any of its
     subsidiaries to be employed by a Competing Enterprise.
                                                                         
                                                                               
     If this Agreement  correctly sets forth your understanding of the agreement
     between the Company  and you,  please  indicate  your  agreement  hereto by
     signing this Agreement in the space for that purpose below.
                                                                               
                                 KEY ENERGY SERVICES, INC.                    
                                                                              
                                                                              
                                 By:                                          
                                 Kenneth V. Huseman,                          
                                 Executive Vice President                     
                                 and Chief Operating Officer                  
                                                                              
ACCEPTED AND AGREED:                                                          
                                                                              
                                                                              
Michael R. Furrow