Exhibit 23
 
      [LETTERHEAD OF NETHERLAND, SEWELL & ASSOCIATES, INC. APPEARS HERE]



           CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PETROLEUM ENGINEERS AND GEOLOGISTS
           ---------------------------------------------------------


        As Petroleum Engineers, we hereby consent to the inclusion of the 
information included in this Form 8-K with respect to the oil and gas reserves 
of certain oil and gas properties acquired by Vintage Petroleum, Inc. from 
certain subsidiaries of Burlington Resources Inc., as described in this Form 
8-K, which information has been included in this Form 8-K in reliance upon the 
report of this firm and upon the authority of this firm as experts in petroleum 
engineering. We hereby further consent to all references to our firm included in
this Form 8-K and to the incorporation by reference in the Registration 
Statements on Form S-8, No. 33-37505 and No. 333-09205, of Vintage Petroleum, 
Inc. of such information.


                                        NETHERLAND, SEWELL & ASSOCIATES, INC.


                                        By:  /s/ Clarence M. Netherland
                                           ---------------------------------
                                           Clarence M. Netherland
                                           Chairman


Dallas, Texas
April 15, 1997