EXHIBIT 99.1

                                  NEWS RELEASE

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

  Pioneer Announces Sale of Non-Strategic Canadian Properties for $207 Million

Dallas,  Texas,  April 28, 2005 -- Pioneer Natural Resources Company  (NYSE:PXD)
today announced that its Canadian  subsidiary has signed a definitive  agreement
for the sale of its Martin  Creek,  Conroy  Black and Lookout  Butte oil and gas
properties to Ketch Resources Ltd.  (TSE:KER.UN)  for proceeds of  approximately
$207 million.  The transaction is expected to close by May 31, 2005 with a March
1, 2005 effective date and is subject to normal closing conditions.

Pioneer  announced  that it was  initiating  a  process  to divest  these  three
non-strategic  Canadian properties late last year. As of the effective date, the
properties'  net proved  reserves were estimated to be  approximately  9 million
barrels  oil   equivalent   (BOE)  and  current  net   production  is  averaging
approximately 3,000 BOE per day. Tristone Capital acted as Financial Advisor for
this transaction with TD Securities as Lead Strategic Advisor and Scotia Capital
as Strategic Advisor.

Scott D. Sheffield,  Pioneer's Chairman and CEO, stated, "We had strong interest
in the divestiture  package and are very pleased with the sales price.  Combined
with our excess cash flow and proceeds from the  volumetric  production  payment
transactions we closed earlier this year, the proceeds significantly enhance our
financial flexibility. By divesting these non-strategic properties, our Canadian
team can now focus all of their efforts on increasing the value of our remaining
core areas."

Pioneer is retaining its core areas in Canada, the Chinchaga natural gas and the
Horseshoe  Canyon  coalbed gas fields,  where it has an  extensive  inventory of
drilling  locations.  The Company  recently  completed its  largest-ever  winter
drilling  campaign  in Canada,  drilling  56 wells.  During the summer  drilling
season,  Pioneer  plans to drill up to 100 wells to assess the  potential of its
extensive Horseshoe Canyon coalbed acreage position.

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.