Exhibit 31.1

                                 CERTIFICATIONS


I, Robert L. G. Watson, certify that:

         1.    I have  reviewed  this  annual  report  on Form  10-K of  Abraxas
               Petroleum Corporation;

         2.    Based on my  knowledge,  this annual  report does not contain any
               untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to state a material
               fact  necessary  to make  the  statements  made,  in light of the
               circumstances   under  which  such   statements  were  made,  not
               misleading  with  respect  to the period  covered by this  annual
               report;

         3.    Based  on my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements,  and  other
               financial  information  included  in this annual  report,  fairly
               present in all material respects the financial condition, results
               of  operations  and cash flows of the  registrant as of, and for,
               the periods presented in this annual report;

         4.    The registrant's  other certifying  officer and I are responsible
               for   establishing  and  maintaining   disclosure   controls  and
               procedures  (as  defined  in  Exchange  Act Rules  13a-15(e)  and
               15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

               (a) designed such disclosure  controls and procedures,  or caused
                   such disclosure  controls and procedures to be designed under
                   our supervision, to ensure that material information relating
                   to the registrant,  including its consolidated  subsidiaries,
                   is  made  known  to  us  by  others  within  those  entities,
                   particularly during the period in which this annual report is
                   being prepared;

               (b) evaluated the  effectiveness of the  registrant's  disclosure
                   controls  and  procedures,  and  presented in this report our
                   conclusions   about  the   effectiveness  of  the  disclosure
                   controls and procedures,  as of the end of the period covered
                   by this report based on such evaluation; and

               (c) disclosed  in this  report  any  change  in the  registrant's
                   internal  control  over  financial  reporting  that  occurred
                   during  the  registrant's  fourth  fiscal  quarter  that  has
                   materially  affected,  or is reasonably  likely to materially
                   affect,  the  registrant's  internal  control over  financial
                   reporting.

         5.    The registrant's  other certifying  officer and I have disclosed,
               based on our most  recent  evaluation  of internal  control  over
               financial reporting,  to the registrant's  auditors and the audit
               committee  of the  registrant's  board of  directors  (or persons
               performing the equivalent functions):

               (a) all  significant  deficiencies  in the design or operation of
                   internal  controls which are  reasonably  likely to adversely
                   affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize
                   and report financial information; and
               (b) any fraud, whether or not material,  that involves management
                   or  other  employees  who  have  a  significant  role  in the
                   registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date: March 29, 2005
/s/ Robert L.G. Watson
Robert L.G. Watson
Chairman of the Board, President and
Principal Executive Officer