8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549




                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 17, 2004



                             PYR Energy Corporation
                             ----------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



           Maryland                   0-20879                    95-4580642
           --------                   -------                    ----------
(State or other jurisdiction     (Commission File           (IRS Employer
 of incorporation)                Number)                    Identification No.)



                1675 Broadway, Suite 2450, Denver, Colorado 80202
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               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)



        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (303) 825-3748



Item 5. Other Events.
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     Press Release. The press release of the Registrant dated March 17, 2004,
which is filed as an exhibit hereto, is incorporated herein by reference.


Item 7. Financial Statements And Exhibits.
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     (c) Exhibits.
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                                  Exhibit Index
                                  -------------

Exhibit
Number            Description
- ------            -----------

99.1              Press release dated March 17, 2004.



                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


Date:  March 18, 2004                       PYR ENERGY CORPORATION



                                            By: /s/ D. Scott Singdahlsen
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            D. Scott Singdahlsen
                                            Chief Executive Officer

EX-99.1

                                  EXHIBIT 99.1

On March 17, 2004, the Registrant issued the following press release:

  "PYR ENERGY SIGNS EXPLORATION OPTION AGREEMENT FOR MONTANA FOOTHILLS PROJECT

     DENVER - PYR Energy Corporation (AMEX:PYR) today announced that the Company
has signed an exploration option agreement with Suncor Energy Natural Gas
America Inc. (SENGAI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Canadian producer Suncor
Energy, covering the Company's Rogers Pass exploration project in the Foothills
of west central Montana.

     PYR Energy currently owns 100% working interest in approximately 230,000
net acres under lease in its Rogers Pass exploration project. Company management
believes that the geology and seismic character of the Rogers Pass project share
many of the same characteristics as those observed within the productive
Canadian Foothills Trend of southern Alberta. Within the Rogers Pass acreage
block, PYR has undertaken extensive seismic analysis and geological study
resulting in the identification of multiple untested, prospective structures. To
date, only one well has been drilled within the acreage block. That well, the
Unocal #1-B30 was drilled in 1989 to a depth of 17,817 feet, and was plugged and
abandoned after testing.

     The agreement calls for SENGAI to pay PYR an option fee for a technical
evaluation period of up to three months. Before the end of the technical
evaluation period, SENGAI will make an election either to proceed to drill the
first test well or to drop the project. Should SENGAI elect to drill the first
test well within the project area, a prospect fee will be paid to PYR and the
well will be spud prior to December 31, 2004. SENGAI will bear 100% of the costs
of the well, to a depth sufficient to evaluate the Mississippian, to earn a 100%
working interest in 100,000 acres of the project area. SENGAI will have the
option to pay a second prospect fee and drill a second test well, to be spud by
December 31, 2005. By paying this second prospect fee and bearing 100% of the
costs of the second well, SENGAI will earn a 100% working interest in the
remaining acreage within the project area. PYR will retain a 12.5% overriding
royalty interest (ORRI), subject to amortized recovery of gas plant and certain
transportation costs, covering all earned acreage within the Rogers Pass Area of
Mutual Interest (AMI).

     "We are extremely pleased to have SENGAI involved in and driving our Rogers
Pass project. Suncor's exploration team brings extensive foothills experience
and operational expertise to the project. Our royalty position will allow PYR to
see the long-term exploration and potential development phases in the project
with no additional risk capital exposure," stated Scott Singdahlsen, President
of PYR Energy.

Denver based PYR Energy is an independent oil and gas company primarily engaged
in the exploration for and the development and production of natural gas and
crude oil. PYR's activities are focused in select areas of the Rocky Mountain
region as well as the San Joaquin Basin of California. Additional information
about PYR Energy Corporation can be accessed via the Company's web site at
www.pyrenergy.com.

                                      # # #

     This release contains forward-looking statements regarding PYR Energy
Corporation's future plans and expected performance based on assumptions the
Company believes to be reasonable. A number of risks and uncertainties could
cause actual results to differ materially from these statements, including,
without limitation, the success rate of exploration efforts and the timeliness
of development activities, fluctuations in oil and gas prices, and other risk
factors described from time to time in the Company's reports filed with the SEC.
In addition, the Company operates in an industry sector where securities values
are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond
the Company's control. This press release includes the opinions of PYR Energy
and does not necessarily include the views of any other person or entity. This
release may not have been reviewed or approved by the operator and/ or
participants in any of the projects discussed."