EXHIBIT 99.1

                                  NEWS RELEASE

                                                               Company Contacts:
                                       Investors: Frank Hopkins or Chris Paulsen
                         Media and Public Affairs: Susan Spratlen (972) 444-9001

                  Pioneer's Fain Gas Plant Shut In Due to Fire
                              No Injuries Sustained

Dallas,  Texas,  May 17, 2005 -- Pioneer Natural  Resources  Company  (NYSE:PXD)
today  announced that on Sunday,  May 15, a mechanical  failure  occurred in the
inlet area of the Fain Gas Plant  resulting  in a fire.  There were no  injuries
associated with the incident.

Pioneer  maintains  an  Emergency  Response  Action Plan that is followed in the
industry and that meets all  governmental  requirements.  This plan insures that
personnel are trained and prepared to respond to an incident such as this.

Pioneer's  Fain Gas Plant is located in the Texas  Panhandle,  25 miles north of
Amarillo.  It is the primary  processing  facility for Pioneer's gas  production
from its West  Panhandle gas field.  The Company is in the process of inspecting
the plant and  assessing  damage to the  facilities.  Based  upon a  preliminary
review,  Pioneer believes the plant can be restored within 60 to 90 days. In the
meantime,  Pioneer is exploring  alternate  marketing  arrangements  to redirect
volumes processed at the plant. Prior to the incident, the Company was producing
approximately  17,000  barrels oil  equivalent  per day from the West  Panhandle
Field.

Pioneer is insured on the physical  damage to the plant and  maintains  business
interruption insurance to limit the impact of production interruptions extending
beyond 30 days.

The Company will provide an update as additional information becomes available.

Pioneer is a large  independent oil and gas  exploration and production  company
with  operations in the United States,  Argentina,  Canada,  Equatorial  Guinea,
Nigeria,  South Africa and Tunisia.  Pioneer's  headquarters are in Dallas.  For
more information, visit Pioneer's website at www.pioneernrc.com.

Except for historical  information contained herein, the statements in this News
Release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor
Provisions   of  the  Private   Securities   Litigation   Reform  Act  of  1995.
Forward-looking  statements and the business prospects of Pioneer are subject to
a number of risks and  uncertainties  that may cause Pioneer's actual results in
future periods to differ materially from the forward-looking  statements.  These
risks and uncertainties include,  among other things,  volatility of oil and gas
prices, product supply and demand, competition, government regulation or action,
international  operations  and associated  international  political and economic
instability,  litigation,  the costs and  results of  drilling  and  operations,
Pioneer's ability to replace reserves, implement its business plans, or complete
its  development  projects  as  scheduled,   access  to  and  cost  of  capital,
uncertainties   about   estimates  of  reserves,   quality  of  technical  data,
environmental and weather risks, acts of war or terrorism. These and other risks
are  described  in Pioneer's  10-K and 10-Q  Reports and other  filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.