As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 20, 2004
                                          Registration No. 333-_____________


                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
                              SWIFT ENERGY COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Texas                                               74-2073055
(State or other jurisdiction of                            (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)

                         16825 Northchase Dr., Suite 400
                              Houston, Texas 77060
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                              SWIFT ENERGY COMPANY
                      2001 OMNIBUS STOCK COMPENSATION PLAN

                              SWIFT ENERGY COMPANY
                             EMPLOYEES SAVINGS PLAN
                            (Full title of the plans)

                                 Terry E. Swift
                             Chief Executive Officer
                              Swift Energy Company
                         16825 Northchase Dr., Suite 400
                              Houston, Texas 77060
                                 (281) 874-2700

                     (Name, address and telephone number of
             Registrant's executive offices and agent for service)

                                   Copies to:

                                  Karen Bryant
                      General Counsel-Corporate Governance
                              Swift Energy Company
                         16825 Northchase Dr., Suite 400
                              Houston, Texas 77060
                                 (281) 874-2700
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===================================================================================================================================

                                                                            Proposed                Proposed
                                                      Amount                Maximum                 Maximum              Amount of
                  Title of                            to be              Offering Price            Aggregate            Registration
        Securities to be Registered              Registered(1)(2)       per Share(3)(4)       Offering Price(3)(4)         Fee(4)
--------------------------------------------- ----------------------- --------------------- ------------------------- --------------
<S>                                               <C>                        <C>                  <C>                     <C>


Common Stock, $.01 par value per share(5)         650,000 shares             $18.36               $11,934,000             $-0-(6)

============================================= ======================= ===================== ========================= ==============
<FN>
(1) Covers  500,000  additional  shares  issuable under the Swift Energy Company
2001 Omnibus Stock  Compensation  Plan and 150,000  additional  shares  issuable
under the Swift Energy  Company  401(k) Plan  (collectively,  the "Plans.")
(2) Pursuant to Rule  416, this Registration  Statement  is  deemed  to  include
additional  shares  issuable  under the terms of the Plans to  prevent  dilution
resulting from any future stock split,  stock  dividend or similar  transaction.
(3) Estimated  solely for the purpose of calculating the  registration  fee.
(4) Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h). Accordingly, the price per share
of the common stock offered hereunder  pursuant to the Plans is based on 650,000
shares  reserved  for  issuance  under the Plans at a price per share of $18.36,
which is the average of the highest and lowest  selling  price for the shares on
the New York Stock Exchange on January 12, 2004.
(5) Each share of common  stock is  accompanied  by a preferred  share  purchase
right pursuant to the Rights  Agreement (as Amended and Restated as of March 31,
1999) between Swift Energy  Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
as Rights  Agent.
(6) The  registrant  paid a registration  fee of $56,642 in connection  with its
Registration  Statement on Form S-3 (Reg. No. 333-64692)  covering  $350,000,000
that was filed with the Securities  and Exchange  Commission on July 6, 2001, of
which $118,518,750 of unsold securities  remains. As calculated pursuant to Rule
457(o) at the statutory rate of $80.90 per $1,000,000 of securities  registered,
and pursuant to Rule 457(p),  $965 of the unused $29,630  registration  fee paid
for the  earlier  registration  statement  is  being  used to  offset  the  $965
registration fee due for this registration statement.
</FN>
</TABLE>
<PAGE>

                                     PART II

                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT


Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

     The  registrant  hereby  incorporates  by  reference  in this  registration
statement the following  documents  previously  filed by the registrant with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"):


     1.   the registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          December 31, 2002;

     2.   the registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended
          March 31, June 30, and September 30, 2003;

     3.   the  description  of the common stock of the  registrant  (the "Common
          Stock") set forth in the registrant's  Registration  Statement on Form
          8-A  filed  July  24,  1981,  and  all  amendments  or  reports  filed
          thereafter for the purpose of updating such description;

     4.   the  description  of  the  preferred  share  purchase  rights  of  the
          registrant  contained in our registration  statement on Form 8-A filed
          on August  11,  1997,  as  amended  on April 7,  1999,  including  any
          amendment or report filed before or after the date of this  prospectus
          for the purpose of updating the description; and

     5.   the  registrant's  Current  Reports on Form 8-K dated May 7, August 6,
          and November 5, 2003.

     All  documents  filed by the  registrant  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  date of this  Registration
Statement  shall be deemed to be  incorporated  herein by reference  and to be a
part  hereof  from the date of the filing of such  documents  until such time as
there shall have been filed a  post-effective  amendment that indicates that all
securities  offered  hereby have been sold or that  deregisters  all  securities
remaining unsold at the time of such amendment.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Not applicable.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

     Swift Energy Company ("Swift") has the authority under Articles 2.02(A)(16)
and 2.02-1 of the Texas Business  Corporation Act to indemnify its directors and
officers to the extent provided for in such statute. Swift's Bylaws, as amended,
provide for  indemnification  of its  officers,  directors  and employees to the
fullest extent  permitted by Article  2.02-1 of the Texas  Business  Corporation
Act. With shareholder  approval,  Swift amended its Articles of Incorporation to
confirm  that  Swift  has  the  power  to  indemnify  certain  persons  in  such
circumstances as are provided in its Bylaws. The amendment allows Swift to enter
into  additional  insurance  and  indemnity  arrangements  at the  discretion of
Swift's board of directors.  Swift has entered into  indemnification  agreements
with each of its officers and directors  that  indemnify  the  individual to the
fullest extent permitted by law.

     Article 7.06 of the Texas Miscellaneous  Corporation Laws Act provides that
a  corporation's  articles of  incorporation  may provide for the elimination or
limitation  of  a  director's  liability.   Swift's  Articles  of  Incorporation
eliminate the liability of directors to the corporation or its  shareholders for
monetary  damages  for an act or omission  in his  capacity as a director,  with
certain specified exceptions to Swift and its shareholders to the fullest extent
permitted by Article 7.06 of the Texas Miscellaneous Corporation Laws Act.


                                      II-2
<PAGE>


     Swift  maintains  insurance to cover amounts that it may be required to pay
officers  and  directors  under the  indemnity  provisions  described  above and
coverage for its officers and directors against certain  liabilities,  including
certain liabilities under the federal securities law.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

     The following documents are filed as a part of this registration statement.

          4.1  Swift  Energy  Company  2001  Omnibus  Stock   Compensation  Plan
               (incorporated   by   reference   to  the   Company's   Form  S-8,
               Registration No. 333-67242, filed August 10, 2001)

          5.1  Opinion of Counsel as to the legality of the shares being offered

          23.1 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

          23.2 Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

          24.1 Powers of Attorney (contained in the signature pages hereto)

Item 9.  Undertakings.

     A.   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 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;

          (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; and

          (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.

     B. 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 (and, where  applicable,  each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual  report   pursuant  to  section  15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act)  that  is
incorporated by reference in the 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. 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  of 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.


                                      II-3
<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act,  the  registrant
certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds  to  believe  that it meets  all 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, Texas, on the 20th day of January, 2004.

                                        SWIFT ENERGY COMPANY


                                        By:/s/ Terry E. Swift
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Terry E. Swift
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW  ALL MEN BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that  each  individual  whose  signature
appears  below  hereby  constitutes  and  appoints  Terry E.  Swift and Alton D.
Heckaman,  Jr., and each of them, each with full power to act without the other,
his true and  lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  each with  full  power of
substitution and resubstitution for him and in his name, place and stead, in any
and  all  capacities,  to  sign  any  or all  amendments  to  this  Registration
Statement, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto and other documents in
connection  therewith,   with  the  Commission,   granting  unto  each  of  said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection  therewith,
as fully to all  intents and  purposes as he might or could do in person  hereby
ratifying and confirming that each of said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents or his
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act,  this  Registration
Statement has been signed by the following  persons in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

       Signature                             Capacity                                               Date
<S>                                     <C>                                                   <C>


/s/ A. Earl Swift                                                                              January 16, 2004
----------------------------
A. Earl Swift                           Chairman of the Board


/s/ Terry E. Swift                                                                             January 20, 2004
---------------------------
Terry E. Swift                          President, Chief Executive Officer (Principal
                                        Executive Officer) and Director


/s/ Alton D. Heckaman, Jr.                                                                     January 19, 2004
----------------------------
Alton D. Heckaman, Jr.                  Senior Vice President-Finance, Chief
                                        Financial Officer (Principal Financial
                                        Officer)


/s/ David W. Wesson                                                                            January 19, 2004
----------------------------
David W. Wesson                         Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)


/s/ Virgil N. Swift                                                                            January 19, 2004
----------------------------
Virgil N. Swift                         Director


<PAGE>


/s/ G. Robert Evans                                                                            January 16, 2004
----------------------------
G. Robert Evans                         Director


/s/ Raymond E. Galvin                                                                          January 16, 2004
---------------------------
Raymond E. Galvin                       Director


/s/ Greg Matiuk                                                                                January 19, 2004
---------------------------
Greg Matiuk                             Director


                                                                                              January ____, 2004
----------------------------
Henry C. Montgomery                     Director


                                                                                              January ____, 2004
----------------------------
Clyde W. Smith, Jr.                     Director


/s/ Harold J. Withrow                                                                         January 19, 2004
---------------------------
Harold J. Withrow                       Director
</TABLE>






<PAGE>



                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

        Exhibit No.                Document Description
----------------------------       ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                <C>

            4.1                    Swift Energy Company 2001 Omnibus Stock Compensation Plan (incorporated by
                                   reference to the Company's Form S-8, Registration No. 333-67242, filed
                                   August 10, 2001)
            5.1                    Opinion of Counsel as to the legality of the shares being offered
           23.1                    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
           23.2                    Consent of Counsel  (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
           24.1                    Powers of Attorney (contained in the signature pages hereto)
</TABLE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "forms82004.txt", "description": "FORM S-8 2004 FOR OMNIBUS AND ESOP", "secsgml_size_bytes": 18559}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SWIFT ENERGY CO", "cik": "0000351817", "assigned-sic": "1311", "irs-number": "742073055", "state-of-incorporation": "TX", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-112042", "film-number": "04534094"}, "business-address": {"street1": "16825 NORTHCHASE DR STE 400", "city": "HOUSTON", "state": "TX", "zip": "77060", "phone": "2818742700"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "16825 NORTHCHASE DRIVE", "street2": "SUITE 400", "city": "HOUSTON", "state": "TX", "zip": "77060"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 20, 2004
                                          Registration No. 333-_____________

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
      --------------------------------------------------------------------
                              SWIFT ENERGY COMPANY
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           Texas                                               74-2073055
(State or other jurisdiction of                            (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                            Identification No.)

                         16825 Northchase Dr., Suite 400
                              Houston, Texas 77060
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                              SWIFT ENERGY COMPANY
                      2001 OMNIBUS STOCK COMPENSATION PLAN

                              SWIFT ENERGY COMPANY
                             EMPLOYEES SAVINGS PLAN
                            (Full title of the plans)

                                 Terry E. Swift
                             Chief Executive Officer
                              Swift Energy Company
                         16825 Northchase Dr., Suite 400
                              Houston, Texas 77060
                                 (281) 874-2700

                     (Name, address and telephone number of
             Registrant's executive offices and agent for service)

                                   Copies to:

                                  Karen Bryant
                      General Counsel-Corporate Governance
                              Swift Energy Company
                         16825 Northchase Dr., Suite 400
                              Houston, Texas 77060
                                 (281) 874-2700
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===================================================================================================================================

                                                                            Proposed                Proposed
                                                      Amount                Maximum                 Maximum              Amount of
                  Title of                            to be              Offering Price            Aggregate            Registration
        Securities to be Registered              Registered(1)(2)       per Share(3)(4)       Offering Price(3)(4)         Fee(4)
--------------------------------------------- ----------------------- --------------------- ------------------------- --------------
Common Stock, $.01 par value per share(5)         650,000 shares             $18.36               $11,934,000             $-0-(6)

============================================= ======================= ===================== ========================= ==============
(1) Covers  500,000  additional  shares  issuable under the Swift Energy Company
2001 Omnibus Stock  Compensation  Plan and 150,000  additional  shares  issuable
under the Swift Energy  Company  401(k) Plan  (collectively,  the "Plans.")
(2) Pursuant to Rule  416, this Registration  Statement  is  deemed  to  include
additional  shares  issuable  under the terms of the Plans to  prevent  dilution
resulting from any future stock split,  stock  dividend or similar  transaction.
(3) Estimated  solely for the purpose of calculating the  registration  fee.
(4) Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h). Accordingly, the price per share
of the common stock offered hereunder  pursuant to the Plans is based on 650,000
shares  reserved  for  issuance  under the Plans at a price per share of $18.36,
which is the average of the highest and lowest  selling  price for the shares on
the New York Stock Exchange on January 12, 2004.
(5) Each share of common  stock is  accompanied  by a preferred  share  purchase
right pursuant to the Rights  Agreement (as Amended and Restated as of March 31,
1999) between Swift Energy  Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company,
as Rights  Agent.
(6) The  registrant  paid a registration  fee of $56,642 in connection  with its
Registration  Statement on Form S-3 (Reg. No. 333-64692)  covering  $350,000,000
that was filed with the Securities  and Exchange  Commission on July 6, 2001, of
which $118,518,750 of unsold securities  remains. As calculated pursuant to Rule
457(o) at the statutory rate of $80.90 per $1,000,000 of securities  registered,
and pursuant to Rule 457(p),  $965 of the unused $29,630  registration  fee paid
for the  earlier  registration  statement  is  being  used to  offset  the  $965
registration fee due for this registration statement.
PART II

                 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

     The  registrant  hereby  incorporates  by  reference  in this  registration
statement the following  documents  previously  filed by the registrant with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"):

     1.   the registrant's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
          December 31, 2002;

     2.   the registrant's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended
          March 31, June 30, and September 30, 2003;

     3.   the  description  of the common stock of the  registrant  (the "Common
          Stock") set forth in the registrant's  Registration  Statement on Form
          8-A  filed  July  24,  1981,  and  all  amendments  or  reports  filed
          thereafter for the purpose of updating such description;

     4.   the  description  of  the  preferred  share  purchase  rights  of  the
          registrant  contained in our registration  statement on Form 8-A filed
          on August  11,  1997,  as  amended  on April 7,  1999,  including  any
          amendment or report filed before or after the date of this  prospectus
          for the purpose of updating the description; and

     5.   the  registrant's  Current  Reports on Form 8-K dated May 7, August 6,
          and November 5, 2003.

     All  documents  filed by the  registrant  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  date of this  Registration
Statement  shall be deemed to be  incorporated  herein by reference  and to be a
part  hereof  from the date of the filing of such  documents  until such time as
there shall have been filed a  post-effective  amendment that indicates that all
securities  offered  hereby have been sold or that  deregisters  all  securities
remaining unsold at the time of such amendment.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

         Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

         Not applicable.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

     Swift Energy Company ("Swift") has the authority under Articles 2.02(A)(16)
and 2.02-1 of the Texas Business  Corporation Act to indemnify its directors and
officers to the extent provided for in such statute. Swift's Bylaws, as amended,
provide for  indemnification  of its  officers,  directors  and employees to the
fullest extent  permitted by Article  2.02-1 of the Texas  Business  Corporation
Act. With shareholder  approval,  Swift amended its Articles of Incorporation to
confirm  that  Swift  has  the  power  to  indemnify  certain  persons  in  such
circumstances as are provided in its Bylaws. The amendment allows Swift to enter
into  additional  insurance  and  indemnity  arrangements  at the  discretion of
Swift's board of directors.  Swift has entered into  indemnification  agreements
with each of its officers and directors  that  indemnify  the  individual to the
fullest extent permitted by law.

     Article 7.06 of the Texas Miscellaneous  Corporation Laws Act provides that
a  corporation's  articles of  incorporation  may provide for the elimination or
limitation  of  a  director's  liability.   Swift's  Articles  of  Incorporation
eliminate the liability of directors to the corporation or its  shareholders for
monetary  damages  for an act or omission  in his  capacity as a director,  with
certain specified exceptions to Swift and its shareholders to the fullest extent
permitted by Article 7.06 of the Texas Miscellaneous Corporation Laws Act.

                                      II-2
Swift  maintains  insurance to cover amounts that it may be required to pay
officers  and  directors  under the  indemnity  provisions  described  above and
coverage for its officers and directors against certain  liabilities,  including
certain liabilities under the federal securities law.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

         Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

     The following documents are filed as a part of this registration statement.

          4.1  Swift  Energy  Company  2001  Omnibus  Stock   Compensation  Plan
               (incorporated   by   reference   to  the   Company's   Form  S-8,
               Registration No. 333-67242, filed August 10, 2001)

          5.1  Opinion of Counsel as to the legality of the shares being offered

          23.1 Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

          23.2 Consent of Counsel (contained in Exhibit 5.1)

          24.1 Powers of Attorney (contained in the signature pages hereto)

Item 9.  Undertakings.

     A.   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 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;

          (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; and

          (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.

     B. 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 (and, where  applicable,  each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual  report   pursuant  to  section  15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act)  that  is
incorporated by reference in the 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. 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  of 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.

                                      II-3
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act,  the  registrant
certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds  to  believe  that it meets  all 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, Texas, on the 20th day of January, 2004.

                                        SWIFT ENERGY COMPANY

                                        By:/s/ Terry E. Swift
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Terry E. Swift
                                           President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW  ALL MEN BY THESE  PRESENTS,  that  each  individual  whose  signature
appears  below  hereby  constitutes  and  appoints  Terry E.  Swift and Alton D.
Heckaman,  Jr., and each of them, each with full power to act without the other,
his true and  lawful  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents,  each with  full  power of
substitution and resubstitution for him and in his name, place and stead, in any
and  all  capacities,  to  sign  any  or all  amendments  to  this  Registration
Statement, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto and other documents in
connection  therewith,   with  the  Commission,   granting  unto  each  of  said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection  therewith,
as fully to all  intents and  purposes as he might or could do in person  hereby
ratifying and confirming that each of said  attorneys-in-fact  and agents or his
substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act,  this  Registration
Statement has been signed by the following  persons in the capacities and on the
dates indicated.
Signature                             Capacity                                               Date
/s/ A. Earl Swift                                                                              January 16, 2004
----------------------------
A. Earl Swift                           Chairman of the Board

/s/ Terry E. Swift                                                                             January 20, 2004
---------------------------
Terry E. Swift                          President, Chief Executive Officer (Principal
                                        Executive Officer) and Director

/s/ Alton D. Heckaman, Jr.                                                                     January 19, 2004
----------------------------
Alton D. Heckaman, Jr.                  Senior Vice President-Finance, Chief
                                        Financial Officer (Principal Financial
                                        Officer)

/s/ David W. Wesson                                                                            January 19, 2004
----------------------------
David W. Wesson                         Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)

/s/ Virgil N. Swift                                                                            January 19, 2004
----------------------------
Virgil N. Swift                         Director
/s/ G. Robert Evans                                                                            January 16, 2004
----------------------------
G. Robert Evans                         Director

/s/ Raymond E. Galvin                                                                          January 16, 2004
---------------------------
Raymond E. Galvin                       Director

/s/ Greg Matiuk                                                                                January 19, 2004
---------------------------
Greg Matiuk                             Director

                                                                                              January ____, 2004
----------------------------
Henry C. Montgomery                     Director

                                                                                              January ____, 2004
----------------------------
Clyde W. Smith, Jr.                     Director

/s/ Harold J. Withrow                                                                         January 19, 2004
---------------------------
Harold J. Withrow                       Director
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit No.                Document Description
----------------------------       ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.1                    Swift Energy Company 2001 Omnibus Stock Compensation Plan (incorporated by
                                   reference to the Company's Form S-8, Registration No. 333-67242, filed
                                   August 10, 2001)
            5.1                    Opinion of Counsel as to the legality of the shares being offered
           23.1                    Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
           23.2                    Consent of Counsel  (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
           24.1                    Powers of Attorney (contained in the signature pages hereto)