<PAGE>


    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2000.

                                                 Registration No. 333-________
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                               ------------------
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                               ------------------

                            ESENJAY EXPLORATION, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                               ------------------

               DELAWARE                               73-1421000
     (State or Other Jurisdiction                  (I.R.S. Employer
   of Incorporation or Organization)              Identification No.)

                             500 NORTH WATER STREET
                                  SUITE 1100 S.
                           CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 78471
                                 (361) 883-7464
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                               ------------------

                          ESENJAY EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                               ------------------

          Name, Address and Telephone
         Number of Agent for Service:             Copy of Communications to:
           DAVID B. CHRISTOFFERSON
            SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,                      SAMUEL N. ALLEN
 GENERAL COUNSEL AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER        PORTER & HEDGES, L.L.P.
          ESENJAY EXPLORATION, INC.                  700 LOUISIANA STREET
            500 DALLAS, SUITE 2900                 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002-2764
             HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002                       (713) 226-0600
                (713) 739-7100



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
==================================================================================================================

                                                           PROPOSED MAXIMUM        PROPOSED
                                         AMOUNT TO BE          OFFERING        MAXIMUM AGGREGATE      AMOUNT OF
 TITLE OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED   REGISTERED (1)   PRICE PER SHARE (2)    OFFERING PRICE    REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                     <C>              <C>                   <C>                <C>
Common Stock, par value $.01 per
share (3)                                  250,000            $3.3672            $841,800.00          $222.24
==================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)      Pursuant to Rule 416(a), also registered hereunder is an indeterminate
         number of shares of Common Stock issuable as a result of the anti-
         dilution provisions of the Esenjay Employee Savings Plan.

(2)      Pursuant to Rule 457(h), the registration fee is calculated on the
         basis of the average of the high and low prices for the Common Stock on
         the NASDAQ Small-Cap Market on October 31, 2000.

(3)      Pursuant to Rule 416(c), this Registration Statement also registers an
         indeterminate amount of plan interests.

<PAGE>

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

         The following documents listed under this Part I and the documents
incorporated by reference under Item 3 of Part II to this Form S-8, taken
together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a)
of the Securities Act, and are incorporated herein by reference.


ITEM 1.  PLAN INFORMATION

         The information required to be provided pursuant to this Item to the
participants in the Long-Term Incentive Plan is set forth in the Information
Memorandum for the Esenjay Employee Savings Plan.


ITEM 2.  REGISTRANT INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL INFORMATION

         The written statement required to be provided to participants in the
Esenjay Employee Savings Plan pursuant to this Item is set forth in the
Information Memorandum for Esenjay Employee Savings Plan referenced in Item 1
above.

<PAGE>

                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.    INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

      The contents of the following documents filed by Esenjay Exploration,
Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Esenjay" or the "Registrant"), with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated into this
registration statement ("Registration Statement") by reference:

      (i)   Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December
            31, 1999 (as amended by the Annual Report on Form 10-KSB/A filed
            on May 1, 2000);

      (ii)  Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended March 31,
            2000;

      (iii) Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended June 30,
            2000; and

      (iv)  Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 2, 2000.

      All documents filed by us with the Commission pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act"), subsequent to the filing date of this Registration
Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this
Registration Statement which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to
be a part hereof from the date of filing such documents. We will provide
without charge to each participant in the Esenjay Employee Savings Plan, upon
written or oral request of such person, a copy (without exhibits, unless such
exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference) of any or all of the
documents incorporated by reference pursuant to this Item 3.

ITEM 4.    DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

      Not Applicable.

ITEM 5.    INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

      Not Applicable.

ITEM 6.    INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

      Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL") permits a
corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by
reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent
of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as
a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including
attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action.

      In a suit brought to obtain a judgment in the corporation's favor,
whether by the corporation itself or derivatively by a stockholder, the
corporation may only indemnify for expenses, including attorney's fees,
actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement
of the case, and the corporation may not indemnify for amounts paid in
satisfaction of a judgment or in settlement of the claim. In any such action,
no indemnification may be paid in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to
which such persons shall have been adjudged liable to the corporation except
as otherwise provided by the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which
the claim was brought. In any other type of proceeding, the indemnification
may extend to judgments, fines


                                       2

<PAGE>

and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred in
connection with such other proceeding, as well as to expenses (including
attorneys' fees).

      The statute does not permit indemnification unless the person seeking
indemnification has acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interest of the corporation
and, in the case of criminal actions or proceedings, the person had no
reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. There are additional
limitations applicable to criminal actions and to actions brought by or in
the name of the corporation. The determination as to whether a person seeking
indemnification has met the required standard of conduct is to be made (i) by
a majority vote of a quorum of disinterested members of the board of
directors, or (ii) by independent counsel in a written opinion, if such a
quorum does not exist or if the disinterested directors so direct, or (iii)
by the stockholders.

      The Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company require the
Company to indemnify the Company's directors and officers to the fullest
extent permitted under Delaware law. The Company's Certificate of
Incorporation limits the personal liability of a director to the Company or
its stockholders to damages for breach of the director's fiduciary duty.

      The Company has purchased insurance on behalf of its directors and
officers against certain liabilities that may be asserted against, or
incurred by, such persons in their capacities as directors or officers of the
Registrant or that may arise out of their status as directors or officers of
the registrant, including liabilities under the federal and state securities
laws.

      Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification
is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is,
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of
expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the
registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion
of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit
to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act, and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

      The above discussion of the DGCL and our Articles and Bylaws is not
intended to be exhaustive and is qualified in its entirety by the DGCL and
our Articles and Bylaws.

ITEM 7.    EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

      Not Applicable.


                                       3

<PAGE>

ITEM 8.    EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
   NO.                                                   DESCRIPTION
----------    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>           <C>
   4(a)*      Summary Plan Description for the Esenjay Employee Savings Plan.

   5(a)*      Opinion of Porter & Hedges, L.L.P. with respect to legality of securities.

  23(a)*      Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

  23(b)*      Consent of Porter & Hedges, L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5(a)).

  24(a)       Powers of Attorney (previously filed as Exhibit 24(a) to the Registration Statement on Form S-8
              filed on September 29, 2000).
</TABLE>

---------------
*  Filed herewith.


ITEM 9.    UNDERTAKINGS

      (a)  UNDERTAKING TO UPDATE

           The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

           (1)   To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
      being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement
      to:

                 (i)   include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of
           the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act");

                 (ii)  reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
           after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the
           most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually
           or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
           information in the Registration Statement; and

                  (iii) include any material information with respect to the
           plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration
           Statement or any material change to such information in the
           Registration Statement;

      PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not
      apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
      amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by
      the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
      Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") that are
      incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

           (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
      Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to
      be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
      therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
      deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof.

            (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
      amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
      the termination of the offering.


                                       4

<PAGE>

      (b)   UNDERTAKING WITH RESPECT TO DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

            The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes
      of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of
      the Registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section
      15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this
      Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration
      statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering
      of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA
      FIDE offering thereof.

      (c)  UNDERTAKING WITH RESPECT TO INDEMNIFICATION

           Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
      Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
      persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
      otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
      Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
      public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
      unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
      such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
      incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the
      Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding)
      is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
      connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will,
      unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by
      controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
      the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
      policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the
      final adjudication of such issue.

                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas, on this 2nd day of November,
2000.

                                       ESENJAY EXPLORATION, INC.


                                       By:  /s/ MICHAEL E. JOHNSON
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Michael E. Johnson
                                            CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER


      In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated and on this 2nd day of November, 2000.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                SIGNATURE                                              TITLE
                ---------                                              -----
<S>                                                       <C>
                           *                              Chief Executive Officer and Director
  ------------------------------------------             (principal executive officer)
                  Michael E. Johnson


            /s/ DAVID B. CHRISTOFFERSON                  Senior Vice President, General Counsel
  ------------------------------------------             and Chief Financial Officer (principal
               David B. Christofferson                   financial officer)


                           *                             Controller and Principal Accounting
  ------------------------------------------             Officer
                 Angela D. Conway
</TABLE>



                                       5

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                       SIGNATURE                             TITLE
                       ---------                             -----
<S>                                                    <C>

                           *                             Chairman and Director
  ------------------------------------------
                    David W. Berry


  ------------------------------------------             Director
                   Alex B. Campbell


                           *                             Director
  ------------------------------------------
                 William D. Dodge, III


  ------------------------------------------             Director
                   Alex M. Cranberg


                           *                             Director
  ------------------------------------------
                 Jeffery B. Pollicoff


  ------------------------------------------             Director
                    Jack P. Randall


                           *                             Director
  ------------------------------------------
                    Hobart A. Smith


  */s/ DAVID B. CHRISTOFFERSON
  ------------------------------------------
  By: David B. Christofferson
      Attorney-in-Fact
</TABLE>


                                       6

<PAGE>

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
   NO.                                                   DESCRIPTION
----------    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>           <C>
    4(a)*     Summary Plan Description for the Esenjay Employee Savings Plan.

    5(a)*     Opinion of Porter & Hedges, L.L.P. with respect to legality of securities.

   23(a)*     Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

   23(b)*     Consent of Porter & Hedges, L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5(a)).

   24(a)      Powers of Attorney (previously filed as Exhibit 24(a) to the Registration Statement on Form S-8
              filed on September 29, 2000).
</TABLE>

----------------------
*  Filed herewith.






                                       7
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "a2029308zs-8.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 20252}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ESENJAY EXPLORATION INC", "cik": "0000901611", "assigned-sic": "1311", "irs-number": "731421000", "state-of-incorporation": "OK", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-49192", "film-number": "752171"}, "business-address": {"street1": "500 N WATER STREET", "street2": "SUITE 1100", "city": "CORPUS CHRISTI", "state": "TX", "zip": "78471", "phone": "5128837464"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "500 DALLAS STREET", "street2": "SUITE 2920", "city": "HOUSTON", "state": "TX", "zip": "77002"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "FRONTIER NATURAL GAS CORP", "date-changed": "19931006"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 2000.

                                                 Registration No. 333-________
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                               ------------------
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                               ------------------

                            ESENJAY EXPLORATION, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

                               ------------------

               DELAWARE                               73-1421000
     (State or Other Jurisdiction                  (I.R.S. Employer
   of Incorporation or Organization)              Identification No.)

                             500 NORTH WATER STREET
                                  SUITE 1100 S.
                           CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS 78471
                                 (361) 883-7464
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

                               ------------------

                          ESENJAY EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                               ------------------

          Name, Address and Telephone
         Number of Agent for Service:             Copy of Communications to:
           DAVID B. CHRISTOFFERSON
            SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,                      SAMUEL N. ALLEN
 GENERAL COUNSEL AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER        PORTER & HEDGES, L.L.P.
          ESENJAY EXPLORATION, INC.                  700 LOUISIANA STREET
            500 DALLAS, SUITE 2900                 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002-2764
             HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002                       (713) 226-0600
                (713) 739-7100
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
==================================================================================================================

                                                           PROPOSED MAXIMUM        PROPOSED
                                         AMOUNT TO BE          OFFERING        MAXIMUM AGGREGATE      AMOUNT OF
 TITLE OF SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED   REGISTERED (1)   PRICE PER SHARE (2)    OFFERING PRICE    REGISTRATION FEE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, par value $.01 per
share (3)                                  250,000            $3.3672            $841,800.00          $222.24
==================================================================================================================
(1)      Pursuant to Rule 416(a), also registered hereunder is an indeterminate
         number of shares of Common Stock issuable as a result of the anti-
         dilution provisions of the Esenjay Employee Savings Plan.

(2)      Pursuant to Rule 457(h), the registration fee is calculated on the
         basis of the average of the high and low prices for the Common Stock on
         the NASDAQ Small-Cap Market on October 31, 2000.

(3)      Pursuant to Rule 416(c), this Registration Statement also registers an
         indeterminate amount of plan interests.
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

         The following documents listed under this Part I and the documents
incorporated by reference under Item 3 of Part II to this Form S-8, taken
together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a)
of the Securities Act, and are incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 1.  PLAN INFORMATION

         The information required to be provided pursuant to this Item to the
participants in the Long-Term Incentive Plan is set forth in the Information
Memorandum for the Esenjay Employee Savings Plan.

ITEM 2.  REGISTRANT INFORMATION AND EMPLOYEE PLAN ANNUAL INFORMATION

         The written statement required to be provided to participants in the
Esenjay Employee Savings Plan pursuant to this Item is set forth in the
Information Memorandum for Esenjay Employee Savings Plan referenced in Item 1
above.
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.    INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

      The contents of the following documents filed by Esenjay Exploration,
Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Esenjay" or the "Registrant"), with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated into this
registration statement ("Registration Statement") by reference:

      (i)   Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the fiscal year ended December
            31, 1999 (as amended by the Annual Report on Form 10-KSB/A filed
            on May 1, 2000);

      (ii)  Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended March 31,
            2000;

      (iii) Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB for the quarter ended June 30,
            2000; and

      (iv)  Current Report on Form 8-K filed on October 2, 2000.

      All documents filed by us with the Commission pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act"), subsequent to the filing date of this Registration
Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this
Registration Statement which indicates that all securities offered have been
sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to
be a part hereof from the date of filing such documents. We will provide
without charge to each participant in the Esenjay Employee Savings Plan, upon
written or oral request of such person, a copy (without exhibits, unless such
exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference) of any or all of the
documents incorporated by reference pursuant to this Item 3.

ITEM 4.    DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

      Not Applicable.

ITEM 5.    INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

      Not Applicable.

ITEM 6.    INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

      Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL") permits a
corporation to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by
reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent
of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as
a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including
attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action.

      In a suit brought to obtain a judgment in the corporation's favor,
whether by the corporation itself or derivatively by a stockholder, the
corporation may only indemnify for expenses, including attorney's fees,
actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement
of the case, and the corporation may not indemnify for amounts paid in
satisfaction of a judgment or in settlement of the claim. In any such action,
no indemnification may be paid in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to
which such persons shall have been adjudged liable to the corporation except
as otherwise provided by the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which
the claim was brought. In any other type of proceeding, the indemnification
may extend to judgments, fines

                                       2
and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred in
connection with such other proceeding, as well as to expenses (including
attorneys' fees).

      The statute does not permit indemnification unless the person seeking
indemnification has acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably
believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interest of the corporation
and, in the case of criminal actions or proceedings, the person had no
reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. There are additional
limitations applicable to criminal actions and to actions brought by or in
the name of the corporation. The determination as to whether a person seeking
indemnification has met the required standard of conduct is to be made (i) by
a majority vote of a quorum of disinterested members of the board of
directors, or (ii) by independent counsel in a written opinion, if such a
quorum does not exist or if the disinterested directors so direct, or (iii)
by the stockholders.

      The Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Company require the
Company to indemnify the Company's directors and officers to the fullest
extent permitted under Delaware law. The Company's Certificate of
Incorporation limits the personal liability of a director to the Company or
its stockholders to damages for breach of the director's fiduciary duty.

      The Company has purchased insurance on behalf of its directors and
officers against certain liabilities that may be asserted against, or
incurred by, such persons in their capacities as directors or officers of the
Registrant or that may arise out of their status as directors or officers of
the registrant, including liabilities under the federal and state securities
laws.

      Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification
is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act, and is,
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of
expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the
registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is
asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion
of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit
to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act, and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

      The above discussion of the DGCL and our Articles and Bylaws is not
intended to be exhaustive and is qualified in its entirety by the DGCL and
our Articles and Bylaws.

ITEM 7.    EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

      Not Applicable.

                                       3
ITEM 8.    EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT
   NO.                                                   DESCRIPTION
----------    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4(a)*      Summary Plan Description for the Esenjay Employee Savings Plan.

   5(a)*      Opinion of Porter & Hedges, L.L.P. with respect to legality of securities.

  23(a)*      Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

  23(b)*      Consent of Porter & Hedges, L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5(a)).

  24(a)       Powers of Attorney (previously filed as Exhibit 24(a) to the Registration Statement on Form S-8
              filed on September 29, 2000).
---------------
*  Filed herewith.

ITEM 9.    UNDERTAKINGS

      (a)  UNDERTAKING TO UPDATE

           The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

           (1)   To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
      being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement
      to:

                 (i)   include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of
           the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act");

                 (ii)  reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
           after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the
           most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually
           or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
           information in the Registration Statement; and

                  (iii) include any material information with respect to the
           plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration
           Statement or any material change to such information in the
           Registration Statement;

      PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not
      apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective
      amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by
      the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
      Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") that are
      incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

           (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
      Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to
      be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
      therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
      deemed to be the initial BONA FIDE offering thereof.

            (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
      amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at
      the termination of the offering.

                                       4
(b)   UNDERTAKING WITH RESPECT TO DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

            The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes
      of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of
      the Registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section
      15(d) of the Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this
      Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration
      statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering
      of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial BONA
      FIDE offering thereof.

      (c)  UNDERTAKING WITH RESPECT TO INDEMNIFICATION

           Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
      Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
      persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
      otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
      Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
      public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore,
      unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
      such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
      incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the
      Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding)
      is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
      connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will,
      unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by
      controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
      the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
      policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the
      final adjudication of such issue.

                                   SIGNATURES

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Houston, State of Texas, on this 2nd day of November,
2000.

                                       ESENJAY EXPLORATION, INC.

                                       By:  /s/ MICHAEL E. JOHNSON
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            Michael E. Johnson
                                            CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

      In accordance with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities indicated and on this 2nd day of November, 2000.
SIGNATURE                                              TITLE
                ---------                                              -----
*                              Chief Executive Officer and Director
  ------------------------------------------             (principal executive officer)
                  Michael E. Johnson

            /s/ DAVID B. CHRISTOFFERSON                  Senior Vice President, General Counsel
  ------------------------------------------             and Chief Financial Officer (principal
               David B. Christofferson                   financial officer)

                           *                             Controller and Principal Accounting
  ------------------------------------------             Officer
                 Angela D. Conway
5
SIGNATURE                             TITLE
                       ---------                             -----
*                             Chairman and Director
  ------------------------------------------
                    David W. Berry

  ------------------------------------------             Director
                   Alex B. Campbell

                           *                             Director
  ------------------------------------------
                 William D. Dodge, III

  ------------------------------------------             Director
                   Alex M. Cranberg

                           *                             Director
  ------------------------------------------
                 Jeffery B. Pollicoff

  ------------------------------------------             Director
                    Jack P. Randall

                           *                             Director
  ------------------------------------------
                    Hobart A. Smith

  */s/ DAVID B. CHRISTOFFERSON
  ------------------------------------------
  By: David B. Christofferson
      Attorney-in-Fact
6
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT
   NO.                                                   DESCRIPTION
----------    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4(a)*     Summary Plan Description for the Esenjay Employee Savings Plan.

    5(a)*     Opinion of Porter & Hedges, L.L.P. with respect to legality of securities.

   23(a)*     Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

   23(b)*     Consent of Porter & Hedges, L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5(a)).

   24(a)      Powers of Attorney (previously filed as Exhibit 24(a) to the Registration Statement on Form S-8
              filed on September 29, 2000).
----------------------
*  Filed herewith.

                                       7