Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
NEWMAN HOWARD H
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SPINNAKER EXPLORATION CO [SKE]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1200 SMITH STREET, SUITE 800
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/13/2005
(Street)

HOUSTON, TX 77002
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 12/13/2005   U   6,800,585 (1) D $ 65.5 (2) 0 I By Warburg Pincus Ventures, L.P.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Director Stock Option (right to buy) $ 40.73 12/13/2005   D     10,000   (3) 05/10/2011 Common Stock 10,000 $ 24.77 0 D  
Director Stock Option (right to buy) $ 40.73 12/13/2005   D     600   (4) 05/10/2011 Common Stock 600 $ 24.77 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
NEWMAN HOWARD H
1200 SMITH STREET
SUITE 800
HOUSTON, TX 77002
  X      

Signatures

 Howard H. Newman   12/15/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(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) The stockholder is Warburg Pincus Ventures, L.P. ("WPV"). Warburg Pincus Partners, LLC ("WPP"), a New York limited liability company and a subsidiary of Warburg Pincus & Co. ("WP"), is the sole general partner of WPV. WPV is managed by Warburg Pincus LLC ("WP LLC"). The address of WPV, WPP, WP and WP LLC (collectively, the "Warburg Pincus Entities") is 466 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Mr. Newman is Senior Advisor and Vice Chairman of WP LLC. Mr. Newman may be deemed to have an indirect pecuniary interest (within the meaning of Rule 16a-1 under the Securities Act of 1934, as amended) in an indeterminate portion of the shares beneficially owned by WPV.
(2) The shares were disposed of pursuant to the merger agreement between the issuer and Norsk Hydro ASA in exchange for merger consideration of $65.50 per share.
(3) Options became 100% vested on May 10, 2005 and were canceled in the merger in exchange for cash payment of $247,750.00, representing the difference between the exercise price of the option and merger consideration of $65.50.
(4) Options were 100% vested on May 10, 2001 and were canceled in the merger in exchange for cash payment of $14,865.00, representing the difference between the exercise price of the option and merger consideration of $65.50.

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

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.