EXHIBIT 12.1

                    TRITON ENERGY LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
              COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
                        (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIOS)
                                 (UNAUDITED)





                                                                                                   


                                                           SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                                               JUNE 30,                    YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                                     -----------------------------  ------------------------------------
                                                                  1997       1996                       1996       1995
                                                     ------------------  ---------  -------------------------  ---------

Fixed charges, as defined (1):
    Interest charges                                 $          25,242   $ 22,040   $                 43,884   $ 41,305
    Preferred dividend requirements of
      subsidiaries adjusted to pre-tax basis                       ---        ---                        ---        ---
                                                     ------------------  ---------  -------------------------  ---------
        Total fixed charges                          $          25,242   $ 22,040   $                 43,884   $ 41,305
                                                     ------------------  ---------  -------------------------  ---------

Earnings, as defined (1) (3):
  Earnings (loss) from continuing operations
     before income taxes, minority interest,
     extraordinary item and cumulative effect of
     accounting change                               $           6,621   $ 26,738   $                 20,945   $ 16,600
  Fixed charges, above                                          25,242     22,040                     43,884     41,305
  Less interest capitalized                                    (12,505)   (11,610)                   (27,102)   (16,211)
  Plus undistributed (earnings) loss of affiliates                 ---       (118)                      (118)     2,249
  Less preferred dividend requirements of
    subsidiaries adjusted to pre-tax basis                         ---        ---                        ---        ---
                                                     ------------------  ---------  -------------------------  ---------
                                                     $          19,358   $ 37,050   $                 37,609   $ 43,943
                                                     ------------------  ---------  -------------------------  ---------

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (2) (3)                         0.8        1.7                        0.9        1.1
                                                     ------------------  ---------  -------------------------  ---------



                                                                                           

                                                     SEVEN MONTHS
                                                     ENDED
                                                     DEC. 31,                      YEAR ENDED MAY 31,
                                                                     -------------------------------------------
                                                              1994                  1994        1993       1992
                                                     --------------  --------------------  ----------  ---------

Fixed charges, as defined (1):
    Interest charges                                 $      20,285   $            26,951   $  16,336   $ 11,066
    Preferred dividend requirements of
      subsidiaries adjusted to pre-tax basis                   ---                   364       1,551      1,780
                                                     --------------  --------------------  ----------  ---------
        Total fixed charges                          $      20,285   $            27,315   $  17,887   $ 12,846
                                                     --------------  --------------------  ----------  ---------

Earnings, as defined (1) (3):
  Earnings (loss) from continuing operations
     before income taxes, minority interest,
     extraordinary item and cumulative effect of
     accounting change                               $     (22,834)  $           (23,104)  $(147,445)  $(87,124)
  Fixed charges, above                                      20,285                27,315      17,887     12,846
  Less interest capitalized                                (11,833)              (16,863)     (6,407)    (6,529)
  Plus undistributed (earnings) loss of affiliates           4,102                  (645)      3,012      2,558
  Less preferred dividend requirements of
    subsidiaries adjusted to pre-tax basis                     ---                  (364)     (1,551)    (1,780)
                                                     --------------  --------------------  ----------  ---------
                                                     $     (10,280)  $           (13,661)  $(134,504)  $(80,029)
                                                     --------------  --------------------  ----------  ---------

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (2) (3)                     ---                   ---         ---        ---
                                                     --------------  --------------------  ----------  ---------





(1)  Earnings  include  the  Company's  equity  in the losses of a former
affiliate whose  debt  was  guaranteed by the Company.  Related interest
charges for the year  ended  May 31, 1992 of  $819,000 were excluded from
fixed charges due to the  improbability  that  such  guarantees  would
be  honored.

(2)  Earnings  were inadequate to cover fixed charges for the six months
ended June 30,  1997  by  $5,884,000, for the year ended December 31,
1996 by $6,275,000, for  the seven months ended December 31, 1994 by
$30,565,000 and for the years ended  May  31,  1994,  1993  and  1992
by  $40,976,000,  $152,391,000  and $92,875,000,  respectively.

(3)  Earnings  reflect  nonrecurring writedowns and loss provisions of
$350,000 for the  six  months ended June 30, 1996, $46,153,000 and
$1,058,000 for the years ended December 31, 1996 and 1995, $984,000 for
the seven months ended December 31,  1994 and $45,754,000, $99,883,000
and $48,805,000 for the years ended May 31,  1994,  1993  and 1992,
respectively. Nonrecurring gains from the sale of assets  and  other
gains  aggregated  $4,842,000  and $13,486,000 for the six months
ended  June  30, 1997 and 1996, respectively, $22,189,000, $13,617,000
and  $56,193,000  for  the  years ended December 31, 1996 and 1995 and May 31,
1994,  respectively.  The  ratio  of  earnings to fixed charges if adjusted to
remove  nonrecurring  items, would have been 0.6 for the six months ended June
30,  1997,  1.4  and  0.8  for  the  years  ended  December 31, 1996 and 1995,
respectively.  Without nonrecurring items, earnings would have been inadequate
to  cover fixed charges for the six months ended June 30, 1997 by $10,726,000,
for  the  year  ended  December  31, 1995  by $9,921,000, for the seven months
ended  December  31, 1994 by $29,581,000 and for the years ended May 31, 1994,
1993  and  1992  by  $51,415,000,  $45,183,000  and $32,301,000, respectively.