EXHIBIT 99.1

                           BLUE DOLPHIN ENERGY COMPANY

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 13, 2008

BLUE DOLPHIN ENERGY COMPANY REPORTS THIRD QUARTER RESULTS

Houston,  November 13 /  PRNewswire / -- Blue Dolphin  Energy  Company  (NASDAQ:
BDCO) ("we" or "our"), an independent oil and gas company with operations in the
Gulf of Mexico,  today released  financial  results for the three and nine month
periods ended September 30, 2008.

For the three  months  ended  September  30,  2008,  we  reported  a net loss of
$442,737 on revenues of $681,279  compared to a net loss of $238,148 on revenues
of $785,588 for the three months ended  September 30, 2007.  The increase in net
loss and  reduction in revenues  were  primarily  attributable  to the impact of
Hurricane  Ike. As a result of Hurricane  Ike, from  September 13, 2008 forward,
our oil and gas wells have been shut-in and our pipeline transportation revenues
were significantly reduced.  Although pipeline  transportation revenues returned
to pre-Hurricane Ike levels in early October, our oil and gas production remains
shut-in  due  to  downstream   third-party  onshore  infrastructure  damage.  We
experienced  minimal  physical  damage to our  assets;  our  pipeline  and shore
facilities are fully operational.  Our oil and gas production is not expected to
resume until late in the fourth quarter of 2008 or early first quarter of 2009.


                                      (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                        Three Months Ended
                                           September 30,
                                       ---------------------      Net Change
                                         2008         2007       2008 vs 2007
                                       --------     --------    --------------

         Revenues                      $  681       $  786       $ (105)
         Net loss                      $ (443)      $ (238)      $ (205)
         Net loss per common share
           Basic                       $(0.04)      $(0.02)      $(0.02)
           Diluted                     $(0.04)      $(0.02)      $(0.02)


For the  nine  months  ended  September  30,  2008,  we  reported  a net loss of
$1,143,590  on revenues of  $2,348,771  compared to a net loss of  $1,341,821 on
revenues of $2,261,511 for the nine months ended September 30, 2007. Despite the
adverse  impact of Hurricane Ike on both our oil and gas production and pipeline
transportation  revenues,  our financial  results reflect a reduction in the net
loss for the nine months of 2008,  primarily  due to an increase in revenue from
oil and gas sales and a decrease in pipeline operating expenses.


                                      (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                         Nine Months Ended
                                           September 30,
                                       ---------------------      Net Change
                                         2008         2007       2008 vs 2007
                                       --------     --------    --------------

         Revenues                     $ 2,349       $ 2,262       $   87
         Net loss                     $(1,144)      $(1,342)      $  198
         Net loss per common share
           Basic                      $ (0.10)      $ (0.12)      $(0.02)
           Diluted                    $ (0.10)      $( 0.12)      $(0.02)



There  are  currently   11,654,207   shares  of  our  common  stock  issued  and
outstanding.

Blue Dolphin  Energy Company is engaged in the gathering and  transportation  of
natural  gas  and  condensate  and  production  of  oil  and  gas.  For  further
information visit the Company's website at http://www.blue-dolphin.com.

Investor Relations Contact:
- ---------------------------
William J. Dale
Chief Financial Officer
713-568-4727

Certain of the  statements  included  in this  press  release,  which  express a
belief,  expectation or intention,  as well as those regarding  future financial
performance or results, or which are not historical facts, are "forward-looking"
statements  as that term is defined in the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,
and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words "expect", "plan",
"believe",  "anticipate",  "project",  "estimate",  and similar  expressions are
intended  to  identify   forward-looking   statements.   These   forward-looking
statements  are  not  guarantees  of  future  performance  or  events  and  such
statements involve a number of risks,  uncertainties and assumptions,  including
but not limited to  industry  conditions,  prices of crude oil and natural  gas,
regulatory changes,  general economic conditions,  interest rates,  competition,
and  other  factors.  Should  one  or  more  of  these  risks  or  uncertainties
materialize or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results
and outcomes may differ  materially from those indicated in the  forward-looking
statements.  Readers  are  cautioned  not  to  place  undue  reliance  on  these
forward-looking statements,  which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company
undertakes  no  obligation to republish  revised  forward-looking  statements to
reflect  events  or  circumstances  after  the date  hereof  or to  reflect  the
occurrence of unanticipated events.

                                      # # #