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  <TITLE> The Houston Exploration Company (Form: 8-K) </TITLE>
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  		UNITED STATES<BR>
  	SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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  	WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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  	FORM 8-K
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  	CURRENT REPORT
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  	Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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  	Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):
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  	&nbsp;
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  	March 31, 2006
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  	The Houston Exploration Company
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  <BR>__________________________________________<BR>
  	(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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  	Delaware
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  	001-11899
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  	22-2674487
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  _____________________<BR>
  	(State or other jurisdiction
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  _____________<BR>
  	(Commission
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  ______________<BR>
  	(I.R.S. Employer
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  	of incorporation)
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  	File Number)
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  	Identification No.)
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  	&nbsp;&nbsp;
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  	1100 Louisiana Street, Suite 2000, Houston, Texas
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  	77002-5215
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  _________________________________<BR>
  	(Address of principal executive offices)
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  ___________<BR>
  	(Zip Code)
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  	Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code:
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  	713-830-6800
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  	Not Applicable
  <BR>______________________________________________<BR>
  	Former name or former address, if changed since last report
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  	&nbsp;
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  <!-- CoverPageRegistrant END --><P><FONT SIZE="2">
  Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
  simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any
  of the following provisions:</FONT>
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  <P><FONT SIZE="2">
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)<br>
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<br>
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<br>
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))<br>
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  	Item 8.01 Other Events.
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  On March 31, 2006, The Houston Exploration Company completed the sale of the Texas portion of its Gulf of Mexico assets.  Pursuant to the purchase and sale agreement dated February 28, 2006 between Houston Exploration, as seller, and various partnerships affiliated with Merit Energy Company, as buyer, the gross purchase price was $220 million.  The net cash proceeds received from the sale of these assets totaled approximately $190.8 million after various customary closing items, including the preliminary adjustment for operations related to the properties after January 1, 2006, the effective date of the transaction.  Of the total net proceeds, approximately $140.1 million was received for assets acquired by various partnerships affiliated with Merit Energy Company, and approximately $43.1 million and $7.6 million was received from Hydro Gulf of Mexico, L.L.C. and Nippon Oil Exploration U.S.A. Ltd., respectively, each of whom exercised its preferential rights to acquire certain working interests offered for sale.<br><br>The Texas portion of our Gulf of Mexico assets accounted for approximately 18% of our 2005 production and represented 58.5 Bcfe, or 7% of our total proved reserves, at December 31, 2005.  At December 31, 2005, we held interests in 70 blocks in offshore Texas state and federal waters, of which 33 were developed.  These assets included 38 producing platforms and production caissons.<br>
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  	SIGNATURES
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  	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.
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  	The Houston Exploration Company
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  	&nbsp;&nbsp;
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  <I>
  	March 31, 2006
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  	By:
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  <I>
  	/s/ James F. Westmoreland
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  	&nbsp;
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  	Name: James F. Westmoreland
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  	Title: Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer
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metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "htm_11371.htm", "description": "LIVE FILING", "secsgml_size_bytes": 9681}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "HOUSTON EXPLORATION CO", "cik": "0001015293", "assigned-sic": "1382", "irs-number": "222674487", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-11899", "film-number": "06730200"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1100 LOUISIANA STREET", "street2": "SUITE 2000", "city": "HOUSTON", "state": "TX", "zip": "77002-5219", "phone": "713-830-6800"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1100 LOUISIANA STREET", "street2": "SUITE 2000", "city": "HOUSTON", "state": "TX", "zip": "77002-5219"}}
text: The Houston Exploration Company (Form: 8-K)
  UNITED STATES
  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):
  March 31, 2006
  The Houston Exploration Company
  __________________________________________
  (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  Delaware
  001-11899
  22-2674487
  _____________________
  (State or other jurisdiction
  _____________
  (Commission
  ______________
  (I.R.S. Employer
  of incorporation)
  File Number)
  Identification No.)
  1100 Louisiana Street, Suite 2000, Houston, Texas
  77002-5215
  _________________________________
  (Address of principal executive offices)
  ___________
  (Zip Code)
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
  713-830-6800
  Not Applicable
  ______________________________________________
  Former name or former address, if changed since last report
  Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
  simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any
  of the following provisions:
  [  ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
  [  ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
  [  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
  [  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
  Top of the Form
  Item 8.01 Other Events.
  On March 31, 2006, The Houston Exploration Company completed the sale of the Texas portion of its Gulf of Mexico assets.  Pursuant to the purchase and sale agreement dated February 28, 2006 between Houston Exploration, as seller, and various partnerships affiliated with Merit Energy Company, as buyer, the gross purchase price was $220 million.  The net cash proceeds received from the sale of these assets totaled approximately $190.8 million after various customary closing items, including the preliminary adjustment for operations related to the properties after January 1, 2006, the effective date of the transaction.  Of the total net proceeds, approximately $140.1 million was received for assets acquired by various partnerships affiliated with Merit Energy Company, and approximately $43.1 million and $7.6 million was received from Hydro Gulf of Mexico, L.L.C. and Nippon Oil Exploration U.S.A. Ltd., respectively, each of whom exercised its preferential rights to acquire certain working interests offered for sale.
  The Texas portion of our Gulf of Mexico assets accounted for approximately 18% of our 2005 production and represented 58.5 Bcfe, or 7% of our total proved reserves, at December 31, 2005.  At December 31, 2005, we held interests in 70 blocks in offshore Texas state and federal waters, of which 33 were developed.  These assets included 38 producing platforms and production caissons.
  Top of the Form
  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.
  The Houston Exploration Company
  March 31, 2006
  By:
  /s/ James F. Westmoreland
  Name: James F. Westmoreland
  Title: Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer