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):  March 20, 2002

                           HANOVER COMPRESSOR COMPANY

               (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)





                                                
         Delaware                     1-13071            76-0625124
(State or Other Jurisdiction      (Commission File    (IRS Employer
     of Incorporation)                Number)        Identification No.)

       12001 North Houston Rosslyn                               77086
         Houston, Texas  77086                                (Zip Code)
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

      Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (281) 447-8787


Item 5.  Other Events.

See the following press release:

              Stephen York Named Controller of Hanover Compressor

HOUSTON--March 20, 2002--Hanover Compressor (NYSE: HC), the leading provider of
outsourced natural gas compression services, today announced the appointment of
Stephen P. York as Vice President and Corporate Controller, effective April 1,
2002.

"We are pleased to welcome Stephen York to the Hanover Compressor financial
team," said John Jackson, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
"His extensive experience in accounting, auditing, merger integration, process
excellence and system conversion will enhance our accounting and finance
organization and make an important contribution to Hanover's future growth."

York, who currently is Director, Payroll Production of Exult, Inc., a provider
of web-enabled Human Resources management services in Charlotte, NC, has 20
years financial accounting, auditing, and operations management experience with
Bank of America Corporation in Charlotte, NC. He held a variety of positions
with Bank of America, including Senior Vice President-Personnel Operations,
Senior Vice President-Controller/General Accounting, Senior Vice President-
Corporate Accounts Payable/Fixed Assets, and Vice President-Audit Director. He
began his professional career in 1979 as a senior accountant with KPMG Peat
Marwick in Waco, TX, following graduation from Baylor University with a
bachelor's degree in accounting.

York also obtained a Master of Business Administration Degree from McColl School
of Business at Queens College.

About Hanover Compressor

Hanover Compressor Company (www.hanover-co.com) is the global market leader in
full service natural gas compression and a leading provider of service,
financing, fabrication and equipment for contract natural gas handling
applications. Hanover provides this equipment on a rental, contract compression,
maintenance and acquisition leaseback basis to natural gas production,
processing and transportation companies that are increasingly seeking
outsourcing solutions. Founded in 1990 and a public company since 1997, its
customers include premier independent and major producers and distributors
throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Certain matters discussed in this press release are "forward-looking statements"
intended to qualify for the safe harbors from liability established by the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements can generally be identified as such because of the context of the
statement and will include words such as "believes," "anticipates," "expects,"
"estimates," or words of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe
Hanover's future plans, objectives or goals are also forward-looking statements.
Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties,
which could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated as
of the date of this press release. The risks and uncertainties include: the loss
of market share through competition, the introduction of competing technologies
by other companies; a prolonged, substantial reduction in oil and gas prices
which would cause a decline in the demand for Hanover's compression and oil and
gas production equipment; new governmental safety, health and environmental
regulations which could require Hanover to make significant capital
expenditures; inability to successfully integrate acquired businesses; and
changes in economic or political conditions in the countries in which Hanover
operates. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are only
made as of the date of this press release, and Hanover undertakes no obligation
to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events
or circumstances. A discussion of these factors is included in the Company's
periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

CONTACT:

Hanover Compressor Company, Houston

Mr. Michael J. McGhan, 281/447-8787




                                   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.

                                         HANOVER COMPRESSOR COMPANY


Date:  March 21, 2002                    By:  /s/ Michael J. McGhan
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                                         Michael J. McGhan
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer