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):

                                JANUARY 3, 2001

                            3TEC ENERGY CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

          DELAWARE                         0-21702            63-1081013
- -------------------------------            -------            ----------
 (State or other jurisdiction          (Commission File      (IRS Employer
       of incorporation)                    Number)       Identification No.)

         Two Shell Plaza, 777 Walker, Suite 2400,  Houston, Texas 77002
             (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)

                                 (713) 821-7100
               Registrant's telephone number, including area code

ITEM 5 - OTHER EVENTS

     3TEC Energy Corporation ("3TEC") announced January 3, 2001, that it has
entered into an agreement to purchase 100% of the issued and outstanding stock
of Classic Resources Inc. ("Classic").  3TEC will pay, subject to customary
closing conditions and certain adjustments, $53.5 million in cash for the
Classic stock.

     The transaction is expected to be closed on or before January 31, 2001.

     The January 3, 2001 press release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1, and is
incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 7 - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

(c) Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed herewith:

99.1 Press Release issued by the Registrant on January 3, 2001


                                   SIGNATURES

     In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, the Registrant
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized.

                                    3TEC Energy Corporation
                                    (Registrant)

Date: January 8, 2001               By: /s/ Floyd C. Wilson
                                       -------------------------------------
                                      Floyd C. Wilson
                                      Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
                                      of the Board



                               INDEX TO EXHIBITS

99.1   Press Release dated January 3, 2001.

EX-99.1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1



                                 PRESS RELEASE


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                    FOR FURTHER
                                         INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                         STEVE W. HEROD
                                         713/821-7102
SHEROD@3TECENERGY.COM


                       3TEC ENERGY CORPORATION ANNOUNCES
                     ACQUISITION OF CLASSIC RESOURCES INC.


HOUSTON, TEXAS, JANUARY 3, 2001... 3TEC Energy Corporation ("3TEC")  (NASDAQ:
TTEN) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to purchase 100% of
the issued and outstanding stock of Classic Resources Inc. ("Classic") for $53.5
million. Classic is a privately-held exploration and production company based in
Dallas, Texas. The total consideration of $53.5 million cash is subject to
customary closing conditions and certain adjustments. Closing is expected on or
before January 31, 2001.

Classic's primary assets, interests in the Beckville, Carthage, Oak Hill and
Rodessa fields, are located near 3TEC's existing reserves in East Texas. The
Classic properties produce primarily from the Cotton Valley formation. 3TEC
estimates these properties have total net proved reserves of 47 Bcfe and net
daily production of 11 Mmcfe, as of January 1, 2001. Combined with 3TEC's
existing East Texas production, this core area will now produce 38 Mmcfe per day
for the company. The estimated reserves for Classic are 96% gas on an equivalent
basis and 99% operated. Classic owns interests in 87 producing wells with an
average working interest of 72%. Approximately 63% of the reserves are
classified as proved producing. The properties have a 10 year reserve-to-
production ratio and attractive lease operating cost of approximately $0.30 per
Mcfe.  3TEC has identified 24 proved undeveloped locations and plans an active
drilling program on Classic's properties in 2001.

In addition, 3TEC announced plans to divest various non-strategic properties in
the Permian, Mid-Continent and San Juan regions. 3TEC expects to sell 35 to 40
Bcfe of reserves during the first quarter of 2001, the majority of which are
oil.

The result of the acquisition and proposed property sale should be net additions
to daily production and proved reserves and a significant reduction in overall
lease operating expenses before production taxes ("LOE"). If both transactions
are completed by the


end of the first quarter, the company estimates that its first quarter 2001 exit
rate LOE will be $0.35 per Mcfe, which compares very favorably to its LOE exit
rate at the end of the second quarter of 2000 of $0.72 per Mcfe. The company's
ability to sell these targeted properties at acceptable prices during that time
frame will be subject to economic factors, which are not within the control of
the company.

Floyd C. Wilson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of 3TEC, stated,  "This
transaction is an important next step in 3TEC's evolution as it adds high
quality gas properties with significant development drilling opportunities in a
core area, East Texas.  It increases the percentage of properties operated and
proportion of natural gas in our total production profile and should precipitate
the divestiture of non-core properties and materially improve our unit margin
costs. 3TEC will continue to seek acquisitions in areas where it maintains or
can achieve a core focus."

3TEC Energy Corporation is engaged in the acquisition, development, production
and exploration of oil and natural gas, with properties geographically
concentrated in East Texas and the Gulf Coast regions. 3TEC also owns
significant properties in the Permian and San Juan basins and in the Mid-
Continent region.

The information contained in this press release may contain projections,
estimates and other forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A
of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. Although the Company believes that its expectations are based on
reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its goals will be
achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those included in the forward-looking statements include the timing and
extent of changes in commodity prices for oil and gas, environmental risks,
drilling, producing and operating risks, including the risk that significant
properties do not achieve projected results, risks related to exploration and
development including risks relating to the lack of economic drilling prospects,
the inability of the Company to achieve expected efficiencies in controlling
expenses, uncertainties about the estimates of reserves, government regulation,
competition and the ability of the Company to meet its stated business goals.