EXHIBIT 99.1


                                  NEWS RELEASE
                                                   Investor Relations Contacts:
                               Susan Spratlen or Chris Paulsen   (972) 444-9001

                    Pioneer Announces Executive Appointments

Dallas,  Texas, January 12, 2005 -- Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD)
today  announced  that during the first  quarter the following new officers will
join the Pioneer management team:

    o   David McManus - Vice President of International Operations,
    o   Frank Hopkins - Vice President of Investor Relations, and
    o   Roger Wallace - Vice President of Government Affairs.

David  McManus has joined the Pioneer team as Vice  President  of  International
Operations  and will direct  Pioneer's  current  operations  in South Africa and
Tunisia and work to develop new  opportunities in Africa,  Europe and the Middle
East. He was recently  Executive  Vice  President with the BG Group where he was
responsible for developing  technical and commercial  capabilities and directing
assets in the Eastern Hemisphere. He also served as President of ARCO Europe and
held senior  positions with LASMO,  Ultramar and Shell.  McManus  graduated from
Heriott  Watt  University  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland,  with  a  degree  in  civil
engineering.  McManus will be based in a new London office that Pioneer plans to
open early this year and will report to Tim Dove,  President and Chief Operating
Officer.

Frank Hopkins has agreed to join Pioneer on February 1, 2005, as Vice  President
of Investor  Relations.  He joins Pioneer from Exxon Mobil  Corporation where he
most  recently  served as General  Manager of Strategic  Planning for the Global
Shared  Services  Group having  previously  served as Deputy Manager of Investor
Relations.  With  predecessor  Mobil,  Hopkins had served in various  capacities
including Manager of Investor Relations,  Financial and Strategic Communications
and Assistant  Controller.  Hopkins has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business
Administration  from Penn State University and has participated in the executive
education   program  at  the  Kellogg  School  of  Management  of   Northwestern
University.

Roger Wallace has been appointed  Vice President of Government  Affairs and will
join  Pioneer on March 1, 2005.  He has  previously  been  President  and CEO of
Investamex,  a consulting  and  investment  firm he co-founded  specializing  in
business  opportunities  in Mexico and Latin  America.  He has been the Minister
Counselor  for  Commercial  Affairs at the U.S.  Embassy in Mexico  City and has
served as Deputy Under Secretary for International  Trade at the U.S. Department
of Commerce.  Prior to his Washington  service,  he served as Deputy Director of
the Texas  Department of Commerce.  Wallace also currently serves as Co-Chair of
the Woodrow Wilson Center's Mexico  Institute  Advisory Board. He is a member of
the Council on Foreign  Relations  and was recently  named by President  Bush to
Chair the Inter-American  Foundation.  Wallace received a bachelor's degree from
Washington and Lee University and a master's  degree from the Fletcher School of
Law  and  Diplomacy  with  post-graduate  work  at  the  Graduate  Institute  of
International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.

Messrs.  Hopkins and Wallace will both report to Scott D.  Sheffield,  Pioneer's
Chairman  and Chief  Executive  Officer  and will be based in  Pioneer's  Dallas
office.

Pioneer  also  announces  the  resignation  of  Mark  Withrow,   Executive  Vice
President,  General  Counsel and Secretary.  Withrow has provided  notice of his
intent to leave the Company to pursue other  interests  during the first half of
2005, allowing the Company sufficient time to appoint a successor.

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