8-K

================================================================================

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 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): July 26, 2005

                           Ultra Petroleum Corporation
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

   Yukon Territory, Canada             0-29370                     N/A
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)      (IRS Employer
     of incorporation)                                    Identification No.)

     363 N. Sam Houston Parkway E., Suite 1200
                  Houston, Texas                                  77060
      (Address of principal executive office)                   (Zip Code)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (281) 876-0120

                                 Not Applicable
           -----------------------------------------------------------
           Former name or former address, if changed since last report

                                   ----------

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[ ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities
Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange
Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

================================================================================



ITEM 5.02.  APPOINTMENT OF PRINCIPAL OFFICER.

Attached as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K is a copy of a press
release issued on July 18, 2005 containing information related to Ultra
Petroleum Announcement of a New CFO and New Production in China.

The information furnished pursuant to this Current Report on Form 8-K (including
the exhibit hereto) shall not be considered "filed" under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, nor shall it be incorporated by reference into
future filings by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, unless the Company
expressly sets forth in such future filing that such information is to be
considered "filed" or incorporated by reference therein.

ITEM 9.01.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(c) Exhibits

EXHIBIT
NUMBER                             DESCRIPTION
- -------   ----------------------------------------------------------------------

99.1      Press Release, dated July 18, 2005 by Ultra Petroleum Corporation (the
          "Company") titled `Ultra Petroleum Announces New CFO and New
          Production in China



                                   SIGNATURES

     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.

                                              ULTRA PETROLEUM Corporation

July 28, 2005                                 By:    /S/David A. Russell
                                                     ---------------------------
                                              Name:  David A. Russel.
                                              Title: Director Investor Relations



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT
NUMBER                             DESCRIPTION
- -------   ----------------------------------------------------------------------
99.1      Press Release, dated July 18, 2005 by Ultra Petroleum Corporation.

EX-99.1

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

          ULTRA PETROLEUM ANNOUNCES NEW CFO AND NEW PRODUCTION IN CHINA

HOUSTON, July 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ultra Petroleum (Amex: UPL) announced
today that Marshal D. (Mark) Smith has joined Ultra as Chief Financial Officer.
Mark has over twenty-five years of progressive experience in all aspects of the
energy industry including operations, strategic planning, corporate finance,
banking and business development.

Ultra also announced that first oil was achieved on July 6th at their CFD 11-3 &
CFD 11-5 fields located at Bohai Bay, China. The new developments are currently
producing approximately 9,000 barrels per day from 2 wells. The fields should
have 4 wells on production by the end of August with gross production in the
range of 10,000 -- 15,000 barrels per day at that time. Ultra's interest in the
two new fields is approximately 9%.

"We welcome Mark to the Ultra family and look forward to the many contributions
his experience, work ethic, and business acumen will provide the Company. And
we're delighted with the initial oil production at the two new fields in Bohai
Bay," stated Michael D. Watford, Ultra's Chairman, President and CEO.

Ultra Petroleum is an independent, exploration and production company focused on
developing its long life natural gas reserves in the Green River Basin of
Wyoming, and oil reserves in Bohai Bay, offshore China. Ultra is listed on the
American Stock Exchange under the ticker "UPL" with 153,325,036 shares
outstanding as of the date of this release.

The United States Securities and Exchange Commission permits oil and gas
companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only proved reserves that
a company has demonstrated by actual production or conclusive formation tests to
be economically and legally producible under existing economic and operating
conditions. We may use certain terms in this press release, relating to reserves
and/or production that the SEC's guidelines strictly prohibit us from including
in filings with the SEC. U.S. Investors are urged to consider closely the
disclosure in our Form 10-K available from us at 363 North Sam Houston Parkway
E., Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77060. You can also obtain this form from the SEC by
calling 1-800-SEC-0330.

This news release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The opinions, forecasts,
projections or other statements, other than statements of historical fact, are
forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations
reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, they can give no
assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Certain risks
and uncertainties inherent in the Company's businesses are set forth in their
filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Full details regarding the
selected financial information provided above will be available in the Company's
annual report and in the Annual Information form to be filed under the cover of
Form 10-K.