EXHIBIT 5.3

                   [MAGNUM HUNTER RESOURCES, INC. LETTERHEAD]

                                  July 3, 2002

Magnum Hunter Resources, Inc.
600 East Las Colinas Blvd.
Suite 1100
Irving, Texas 75039

  Re: Registration Statement on Form S-4

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am the General Counsel of Mangum Hunter Resources, Inc., a Nevada
corporation ("Magnum"). This letter is prepared in connection with the
registration, pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-4 (as may be
amended, the "Registration Statement"), filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), of (i) the
proposed offer by Magnum to exchange (the "Exchange Offer") all outstanding
9.60% Senior Notes due 2012 ($300 million aggregate principal amount
outstanding) (the "Old Notes") of Magnum for new 9.60% Senior Notes due 2012
($300 million aggregate principal amount) (the "New Notes") of Magnum and (ii)
the guarantees of the New Notes (the "Subsidiary Guarantees") by each of Magnum
Hunter Production, Inc., a Texas corporation, Gruy Petroleum Management Co., a
Texas corporation, Hunter Gas Gathering, Inc., a Texas corporation, Conmag
Energy Corporation, a Texas corporation, Trapmar Properties, Inc., a Texas
corporation, Pintail Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation, Prize Operating
Company, a Delaware corporation, PEC (Delaware), Inc., a Delaware corporation,
Prize Energy Resources, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and Oklahoma Gas
Processing, Inc., a Delaware corporation (each, a "Subsidiary Guarantor" and,
collectively, the "Subsidiary Guarantors"). The Old Notes have been, and the New
Notes will be, issued pursuant to an Indenture (the "Indenture") dated as of
March 15, 2002 among the Company, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, formerly
known as Bankers Trust Company, as Trustee, and the Subsidiary Guarantors party
thereto.

     I have examined originals or certified copies of such corporate records of
Magnum and the Subsidiary Guarantors and other certificates and documents of
officials of Magnum, the Subsidiary Guarantors, public officials and others as I
have deemed appropriate for purposes of this letter. I have assumed the
genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to me
as originals, the conformity to authentic original documents of all copies
submitted to me as conformed and certified or reproduced copies.

     Based upon the foregoing and subject to the assumptions, exceptions,
qualifications and limitations set forth hereinafter, I am of the opinion that:

     1.   Each of Magnum Hunter Production, Inc., Gruy Petroleum Management Co.,
Hunter Gas Gathering, Inc., Conmag Energy Corporation, and Trapmar Properties,
Inc., are corporations, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of
the State of Texas.



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July 3, 2002
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     2.   Each of Pintail Energy, Inc., Price Operating Company, PEC (Delaware),
Inc., and Oklahoma Gas Processing, Inc., are corporations, validly existing and
in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

     3.   Prize Energy Resources, L.P. is a limited partnership, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

     4.   The Subsidiary Guarantors have all power and authority necessary to
execute and deliver the Indenture and to perform their obligations thereunder.

     5    The Subsidiary Guarantors have duly authorized, executed and delivered
the Indenture.

     The opinion and other matters in this letter are qualified in their
entirety and subject to the following:

     A.   I express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the
constitution, laws, rules and regulations and judicial and administrative
decisions of the State of Texas and the State of Delaware.

     B.   I am a member of the bar of the State of Texas.

     I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the use of my name in the prospectus forming a
part of the Registration Statement under the caption "Legal Matters." In giving
this consent, I do not thereby admit that I am within the category of persons
whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder. I also consent to your filing copies of this opinion as
an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

                              Very truly yours,

                              MAGNUM HUNTER RESOURCES, INC.


                              By: /s/ Morgan F. Johnston
                                  ---------------------------------------
                                  Morgan F. Johnston, Vice President,
                                  Secretary and General Counsel