EXHIBIT 12.2 TRITON ENERGY LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERENCE DIVIDENDS (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIOS) (UNAUDITED) YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, ------------------------------- 1997 1996 1995 --------- --------- --------- Fixed charges, as defined: Interest charges $ 50,625 $ 43,884 $ 41,305 Preference dividend requirements of the Company 400 985 802 Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries adjusted to pre-tax basis --- --- --- --------- --------- --------- Total fixed charges $ 51,025 $ 44,869 $ 42,107 --------- --------- --------- Earnings, as defined (2): Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest, extraordinary item and cumulative effect of accounting change $ 16,896 $ 20,945 $ 16,600 Fixed charges, above 51,025 44,869 42,107 Less interest capitalized (25,818) (27,102) (16,211) Plus undistributed (earnings) loss of affiliates --- (118) 2,249 Less preference dividend requirements of the Company and its subsidiaries adjusted to pre-tax basis (400) (985) (802) --------- --------- --------- $ 41,703 $ 37,609 $ 43,943 --------- --------- --------- RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERENCE DIVIDENDS (1) (2) 0.8 0.8 1.0 --------- --------- --------- SEVEN MONTHS ENDED DEC. 31, YEAR ENDED MAY 31, ------------------ 1994 1994 1993 --------- --------- ---------- Fixed charges, as defined: Interest charges $ 20,285 $ 26,951 $ 16,336 Preference dividend requirements of the Company 449 --- --- Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries adjusted to pre-tax basis --- 364 1,551 --------- --------- ---------- Total fixed charges $ 20,734 $ 27,315 $ 17,887 --------- --------- ---------- Earnings, as defined (2): Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest, extraordinary item and cumulative effect of accounting change $ (22,834) $ (23,104) $ (147,445) Fixed charges, above 20,734 27,315 17,887 Less interest capitalized (11,833) (16,863) (6,407) Plus undistributed (earnings) loss of affiliates 4,102 (645) 3,012 Less preference dividend requirements of the Company and its subsidiaries adjusted to pre-tax basis (449) (364) (1,551) --------- --------- ---------- $ (10,280) $ (13,661) $ (134,504) --------- --------- ---------- RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERENCE DIVIDENDS (1) (2) --- --- --- --------- --------- ---------- (1) Earnings were inadequate to cover fixed charges and preference dividends for the years ended December 31, 1997 and 1996 by $9,322,000 and $7,260,000, for the seven months ended December 31, 1994 by $31,014,000, and for the years ended May 31, 1994 and 1993 by $40,976,000 and $152,391,000, respectively. (2) Earnings reflect nonrecurring writedowns and loss provisions of $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 and $99,883,000 for the years ended May 31, 1994 and 1993, respectively. Nonrecurring gains from the sale of assets and other gains aggregated $6,253,000, $22,189,000, $13,617,000 and $56,193,000 for the years ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995 and May 31, 1994, respectively. The ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and preference dividends if adjusted to remove nonrecurring items, would have been 0.7, 1.4 and 0.7 for the years ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively. Without nonrecurring items, earnings would have been inadequate to cover fixed charges and preference dividends for the years ended December 31, 1997 and 1995 by $15,575,000 and $10,723,000, for the seven months ended December 31, 1994 by $30,030,000, and for the years ended May 31, 1994 and 1993 by $51,415,000 and $45,183,000, respectively.