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                                                                 Exhibit 10(bb)


                             EMPLOYMENT AND OPTION
                                   AGREEMENT


         AGREEMENT made as of the 1st day of July, 1990, between ALN Resources
Corporation (hereinafter called the "Company"), and Robert Johnson (hereinafter
called "Employee").

         1.      EMPLOYMENT.  The Company employs Employee who accepts
employment upon the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

         2.      TERM.  The term of employment provisions of this Agreement
shall begin on July 1, 1990, and shall terminate on June 30, 1995, unless
renewed.  the Company shall have the option of renewing this contract for an
additional two-year period, commencing on July 1, 1995, and ending on June 30,
1997. Notice of the company's intention to renew the Agreement for an
additional two-year period shall be made in writing to employee on or before
January 1, 1995.

         3.      COMPENSATION.  For all services rendered by Employee, the
Company shall pay him a salary of $ 61,200. a year, payable in equal monthly
installments on the 15th day of each month.  Salary payment shall be subject to
withholding and other applicable taxes. The Company shall review said
compensation semiannually with the opportunity to provide raises or increases
to Employee at that review date, with such decision to be subject to approval
by the President.

         4.      BONUS COMPENSATION.  It will be the Company's policy to
provide Employee, as an additional incentive, either on  an annual or quarterly
basis, additional bonus compensation in the form of additional cash payments at
the discretion of the President.  Such bonus compensation, if any, shall be
determined by the President in consideration of such factors as the Company's
profitability, change in asset size of Company, number of employees, sales
levels and growth in sales, and other factors determined by the President as
relevant in its decision.

         5.      STOCK OPTIONS.  At the discretion of the Board of Directors,
as additional incentive to the employee, options to purchase stock of the
Company will be issued at times and amounts determined by the Board.  Such
issuances will be within all Security and Exchange Commission, or other
governing body rules.

         6.      DUTIES.   Employee is to be employed as the Vice President of
the Company and will be charged with all activities related thereto.  Employee
shall devote all time, attention and energies to the Company's business.

         7.      EXPENSES.  Employee may incur reasonable expenses
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for promoting the Company's business, including expenses for entertainment,
travel and similar items.  The Company will reimburse Employee for all such
expenses upon the periodic presentation of an itemized account of such
expenditures.

         8.      VACATIONS.  Employee shall be entitled each year to a vacation
of three weeks, during which time his compensation shall be paid in full.

         9.      DISABILITY.  If Employee should be unable to perform his
services by reason of illness or incapacity for a period of more than thirty
(30) consecutive days, the compensation thereafter payable to him during the
continued period of such illness or incapacity shall be reduced by 50%.
Employee's full compensation shall be reinstated upon a return to full
employment and discharge of full duties.  Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary, the Company may terminate this Agreement at any time after the
Employee shall be absent from his employment, for whatever cause, for a
continuing period of more than six months, and all obligations of the Company,
other than Paragraphs 10 and 11 of this Agreement, shall thereupon terminate.

         10.     DEATH DURING EMPLOYMENT.  If Employee should die during the
term of employment, the Company shall pay to the estate of Employee the
compensation which would otherwise be payable to him up to the end of the month
in which his death occurs.  In addition, the Company shall pay an additional
three (3) months salary within 60 days after the death of the Employee, to the
widow, to the Employee's surviving children in equal shares or, if there are no
such surviving children, to the estate of the Employee.

         11.     TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT.  This agreement may terminate for
any reason based on the sole discretion of the Board of Directors.  In the
event the Board of Directors of the Company decides that it is in the best
interest of the Company to terminate this agreement, Employee will be promptly
notified and this agreement shall terminate.  In the event this agreement is
terminated by the Board of Directors of the Company, Employee shall be entitled
to a one time severance payment, made upon termination, equal to the remaining
months of this agreement before expiration or if applicable, the renewal
agreement.  Other than the payment of severance as set forth in this paragraph,
all other duties, obligations, payments, privileges and consideration of any
sort shall terminate and shall no longer be effective by and between the
Company and Employee.

         12.     NO RIGHTS IN OPTION STOCK.  Employee shall have no rights as
shareholders in respect of shares as to which the option shall not have been
exercised and payment made as herein provided, and shall have no rights with
respect to such shares not expressly conferred by this Agreement.
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     13.     SHARES RESERVED. The Company shall at all times during the term of
this Agreement reserve and keep available such number of its common shares as
will be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this Agreement, and shall pay
all original issue taxes on the exercise of this option, and all other fees and
expenses necessarily incurred by the Company in connection therewith.

     14.     ASSIGNMENT. Employee acknowledges that the services to be
performed by him are unique and personal. Accordingly, the Employees may not
assign any of his rights or delegate any of his duties or obligations under
this Agreement. The rights and obligations of the Company under this Agreement
shall inure to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and
assigns of the Company.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have signed this Agreement.


                                        By /s/ MICHAEL [ILLEGIBLE]
                                           ----------------------------
                                           Title
[Corporate Seal]

Attest:

/s/ CHRIS WILLFORD
----------------------------
Secretary

                                        Employee:

                                        /s/ ROBERT C. JOHNSON
                                        -------------------------------

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                       AMENDMENT NUMBER 1 TO EMPLOYMENT
                             AND OPTION AGREEMENT

     THIS AMENDMENT is made as of the 1st day of May, 1993 between American
Natural Energy Corporation (the "Company") and Robert C. Johnson (the
"Employee") amending the Employment and Option Agreement entered into by and
between the Company and the Employee dated as of July 1, 1990 (the
"Agreement").

     1.   The Company and the Employee agree to amend the Agreement as follows:

          (a)   Section 3 of the Agreement is hereby amended to provide that
the Employee's salary is $72,000 per annum. The parties hereto confirm that the
Employee's Salary has been $72,000 per annum since January 1, 1992, and the
parties agree that the amendment of the Agreement provided for by this Section
1(a) shall be deemed effective as of such date.

          (b)   Section 4 of the Agreement is hereby amended to provide that
payment of any bonus compensation to the Employee shall be made pursuant to the
authorization of the Company's Board of Directors, or any duly appointed
committee thereof, in consideration of such factors as are listed in Section 6
of the Agreement.

          (c)   The following provision is added to the Agreement effective as
of the date of this Amendment:

          "15. Non-competition.  In the event the Employee is terminated for
          cause, as defined below, or refuses to continue his employment
          with the Company if the Company has exercised its option under
          Section 2 of this Agreement to renew this Agreement for an additional
          two year period, the Employee agrees, notwithstanding any
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         provision to the contrary in this Agreement, that for a period
         of one year commencing upon such termination, or refusal, he shall not,
         directly or indirectly, engage in the oil and gas business at any
         location in the State of Oklahoma or the State of Texas. For the
         purposes of this Agreement, "cause" shall mean (i) willful and
         repeated refusal of the Employee to follow the lawful directives of
         the Board of Directors of the Company for the performance of material
         duties which the Employee is required to perform hereunder, other than
         any such failure resulting from the Employee's incapacity due to
         physical or mental illness, or (ii) conviction of the Employee for a
         felony involving moral turpitude."

     2.   The Company and the Employee agree that except as otherwise expressly
provided by this Amendment, the terms and provisions of the Agreement shall
remain in full force and effect.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Amendment as of
the date first above written.


                                           AMERICAN NATURAL ENERGY CORPORATION


                                           By:  /s/  MICHAEL PAULK
                                                Name:
                                                Title: 


                                                /s/  ROBERT C. JOHNSON
                                                     Robert C. Johnson