1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.3

                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ENGINEERS


Williamson Petroleum Consultants, Inc. ("Williamson") hereby consents to use in
the Prospectus (the "Prospectus") constituting a part of the Registration
Statement on Form S-3 and the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed by Venus
Exploration, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), under the Securities
Act of 1933 (the "Act"), of information contained in our reserves reports
entitled "Evaluation of Oil and Gas Reserves to the Interests of Venus
Exploration, Inc. in Certain Properties Located in Texas and Oklahoma, Effective
December 31, 1996, for Disclosure to the Securities and Exchange Commission,
Williamson Project 7.8482" and "Evaluation of Oil and Gas Reserves to the
Interests of Venus Exploration, Inc. in Certain Properties, Effective December
31, 1997, for Disclosure to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Williamson
Project 8.8572" relating to the oil and gas reserves and revenue, of and from
certain interests of the Company and of information depicted in the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10- K for the year ended December 31, 1997, that was
derived from our reserves reports and/or to this firm in such Prospectus and to
our being named as an expert in the Prospectus.


WILLIAMSON PETROLEUM CONSULTANTS, INC.



Houston, Texas
February 8, 1999