Edgar Filing: Hresko Joanne C

Ownership Submission

FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

Â Hresko Joanne C

2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
11/22/2004

3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
HOUSTON EXPLORATION CO [THX]

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY,Â 1100 LOUISIANA STREET, SUITE 2000

4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

_____ Director	_____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below)	_____ Other (specify below)
VP & General Manager, Onshore

5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)

(Street)

HOUSTON,Â TXÂ 77002-5215

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)

2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)

3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)

4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security		6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
emloyee stock options (right to buy)	10/26/2004⁽¹⁾	10/26/2009⁽¹⁾	common stock	760	$ 18.625	D	Â
emloyee stock options (right to buy)	01/25/2005⁽¹⁾	01/25/2044⁽¹⁾	common stock	1,951	$ 36.875	D	Â
emloyee stock options (right to buy)	09/20/2005⁽¹⁾	09/20/2011⁽¹⁾	common stock	2,400	$ 25.48	D	Â
emloyee stock options (right to buy)	10/16/2004⁽¹⁾	10/16/2012⁽¹⁾	common stock	4,800	$ 30.1	D	Â
emloyee stock options (right to buy)	10/21/2004⁽¹⁾	10/21/2013⁽¹⁾	common stock	5,000	$ 35.62	D	Â
emloyee stock options (right to buy)	10/22/2005⁽¹⁾	10/22/2014⁽¹⁾	common stock	3,750	$ 59.16	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Hresko Joanne C THE HOUSTON EXPLORATION COMPANY 1100 LOUISIANA STREET, SUITE 2000 HOUSTON,Â TXÂ 77002-5215	Â	Â	Â VP & General Manager, Onshore	Â

Signatures

/s/Joanne C Hresko		12/01/2004
^**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Employee stock options vest in five equal annual installments beginning on the first anniversary of the date of grant and expire 10 years from the date of grant.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

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