================================================================================

                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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

                            SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                                PROXY STATEMENT
        PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

FILED BY THE REGISTRANT [X]
FILED BY A PARTY OTHER THAN THE REGISTRANT [ ]

CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX:
[ ] PRELIMINARY PROXY STATEMENT
[ ] CONFIDENTIAL, FOR USE OF THE COMMISSION ONLY (AS PERMITTED BY RULE
    14a-6(e)(2))
[X] DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT
[ ] DEFINITIVE ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
[ ] SOLICITING MATERIAL PURSUANT TO SEC. 240.14a-11(c) OR SEC. 240.14a-12

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

                           BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC.
                (NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

PAYMENT OF FILING FEE (CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX):
 [X] No fee required
 [ ] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11

      1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
         pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the
         filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      5) Total fee paid:

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

[ ] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
[ ] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
    0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
    previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number,
    or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

      1) Amount Previously Paid:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      3) Filing Party:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      4) Date Filed:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
================================================================================


                          [BURLINGTON RESOURCES LOGO]

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

                    NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

                           To Be Held April 23, 2003

TO THE STOCKHOLDERS:

     The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Burlington Resources Inc. will be
held on Wednesday, April 23, 2003, at 9:00 a.m. local time in the Ambassador
Room, The St. Regis Hotel, 1919 Briar Oaks Lane, Houston, Texas, for the
following purposes:

     1.  To elect eleven directors, each to hold office for a term of one year.

     2.  To transact any other business which may be properly brought before the
         meeting.

     Only stockholders of record at the close of business on February 24, 2003
are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting and any adjournment
thereof.

                                           By Order of the Board of Directors

                                                  JEFFERY P. MONTE
                                                 Corporate Secretary

March 21, 2003


                           BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC.
                                5051 WESTHEIMER
                           HOUSTON, TEXAS 77056-2124

                                                                   Mailing Date:
                                                                  March 21, 2003

                                PROXY STATEMENT

     The enclosed proxy is solicited by the management of Burlington Resources
Inc. (the "Company") for use at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders on April 23,
2003. Shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share ("Common Stock"), of the
Company represented by a properly executed proxy will be voted at the meeting.
The proxy may be revoked at any time before its exercise by sending written
notice of revocation to Mr. Jeffery P. Monte, Corporate Secretary, Burlington
Resources Inc., 5051 Westheimer, Suite 1400, Houston, Texas 77056-2124, or by
signing and delivering a proxy which is dated and received later, either
electronically or by mail, or, if the stockholder attends the meeting in person,
by giving notice of revocation to the Inspector of Election at the meeting.

     February 24, 2003 was the record date for the determination of stockholders
entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting. On that date there were
outstanding and entitled to vote 201,672,624 shares of Common Stock, which is
the Company's only class of voting securities. Each stockholder is entitled to
one vote for each share of Common Stock held of record. A plurality of the
shares of Common Stock present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting
is required for the election of Directors. An affirmative vote of a majority of
the shares of Common Stock present in person or represented by proxy and
entitled to vote at the meeting is required for approval of all other items
submitted to the stockholders for their consideration. Abstentions are counted
in the number of shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled
to vote for purposes of determining whether a proposal has been approved,
whereas broker nonvotes are not counted for those purposes.

                    INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

     The Board of Directors of the Company held 7 meetings during 2002. In 2002,
the standing committees of the Board of Directors consisted of an Audit
Committee and a Compensation and Nominating Committee. The Audit Committee held
9 meetings during 2002. The Compensation and Nominating Committee held 6
meetings during 2002. During 2002, each Director attended at least 75 percent of
the meetings of the Board of Directors and the committees thereof on which such
Director served.

     Effective March 1, 2003, the Board of Directors revised its committee
structure. The standing committees of the Board of Directors currently consist
of an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Governance and Nominating
Committee. The Board of Directors has determined that each of the committee
members is independent as defined in accordance with applicable requirements.

     The Audit Committee's primary purpose is to assist the Board of Directors'
oversight of (a) the integrity of the Company's financial statements, (b) the
independent auditor's qualifications, independence and performance, (c) the
performance of the Company's internal audit function, and (d) the Company's
compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The Audit Committee has the
sole authority to appoint and terminate the Company's independent auditors.

     The Compensation Committee is responsible for discharging the Board of
Directors' responsibilities relating to compensation of the Company's Directors
and executive officers. In addition, this committee reviews and recommends any
proposed broad-based and stock-based employee benefit plans and grants
restricted stock, stock options and other forms of long-term incentive
compensation to executive officers.


     The Governance and Nominating Committee is responsible for developing and
recommending to the Board of Directors Corporate Governance Guidelines
applicable to the Company, overseeing the evaluation by the Board of Directors
of itself and its committees, identifying and recommending to the Board of
Directors individuals to serve as officers of the Company, reviewing matters of
management succession and identifying and recommending to the Board of Directors
individuals qualified to serve on the Board of Directors and each of the
committees thereof. Copies of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and
Governance and Nominating Committee Charters, as well as the Corporate
Governance Guidelines and the Company's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, are
available under the Corporate Governance portion of the Investor Relations
section of the Company's Web site at www.br-inc.com.

     Except as otherwise designated, the chairman of the Compensation Committee
will serve as the presiding Director of regularly scheduled meetings of the
Non-Management Directors. Anyone who has a concern about the Company may
communicate that concern directly to the chairman of the Compensation Committee
as the presiding Non-Management Director. Such communications may be mailed to
the chairman in care of Mr. Jeffery P. Monte, Corporate Secretary, Burlington
Resources Inc., 5051 Westheimer, Suite 1400, Houston, Texas 77056-2124.

     The Governance and Nominating Committee will consider proposals for
nominees for Directors from stockholders which are made in writing to Mr.
Jeffery P. Monte, Corporate Secretary, Burlington Resources Inc., 5051
Westheimer, Suite 1400, Houston, Texas 77056-2124. Stockholders are directed to
the Company's By-Laws which specify the procedures to be followed by
stockholders submitting such proposals.

                         STOCK OWNERSHIP OF MANAGEMENT
                           AND CERTAIN OTHER HOLDERS

     The following table sets forth information about the only known beneficial
owners of more than 5% of the Company's Common Stock as of February 24, 2003.
This information is based solely on the Company's review of Schedules 13G filed
by such beneficial owners with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"SEC").



                                                                           PERCENT
                    NAME AND ADDRESS OF                       NUMBER OF      OF
                      BENEFICIAL OWNER                          SHARES      CLASS
                    -------------------                       ----------   -------
                                                                     
FMR Corp., Edward C. Johnson 3d and Abigail P. Johnson(1)...  13,489,604    6.7%
  82 Devonshire Street
  Boston, Massachusetts 02109
Harris Associates L.P. and Harris Associates Inc.(2)........  10,977,224    5.5%
  Two North LaSalle Street, Suite 500
  Chicago, Illinois 60602-3790


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

NOTES

(1) In its Schedule 13G filed February 13, 2003 with respect to its securities
    as of December 31, 2002, FMR Corp. states that it has sole voting power as
    to 1,315,739 shares, shared voting power as to no shares, sole dispositive
    power with respect to 13,489,604 shares and shared dispositive power with
    respect to no shares. Mr. Johnson and Ms. Johnson state that they each have
    sole and shared voting power as to no shares, sole dispositive power with
    respect to 13,489,604 shares and shared dispositive power with respect to no
    shares.

(2) In its Schedule 13G filed February 14, 2003 with respect to its securities
    as of December 31, 2002, Harris Associates L.P. states that it has sole
    voting power as to no shares, shared voting power as to 10,977,224 shares,
    sole dispositive power with respect to 3,104,324 shares and shared
    dispositive power with respect to 7,872,900 shares. Harris Associates Inc.
    states that it has sole voting power as to no shares, shared voting power as
    to 10,977,224 shares, sole dispositive power with respect to 3,104,324
    shares and shared dispositive power with respect to 7,872,900 shares.

 2


     The following table sets forth the number of shares of Common Stock
beneficially owned as of February 24, 2003 by each Director or nominee for
Director, the executive officers of the Company named in the Summary
Compensation Table below, and by all Directors and executive officers as a
group. No individual Director or nominee for Director or named executive officer
beneficially owns 1 percent or more of the Company's outstanding Common Stock,
nor do the Directors and executive officers as a group.



                                                              NUMBER OF SHARES
                                                 ------------------------------------------
                                                 BENEFICIALLY      DEFERRAL
                     NAME                         OWNED (1)        PLANS (2)        TOTAL
-----------------------------------------------  ------------      ---------      ---------
                                                                         
Mr. Reuben V. Anderson.........................       8,000           4,201          12,201
Ms. Laird I. Grant.............................      17,762          10,933          28,695
Mr. Robert J. Harding..........................       6,000           2,053           8,053
Mr. John T. LaMacchia..........................      20,000           5,224          25,224
Mr. James F. McDonald..........................      19,653           5,226          24,879
Mr. Kenneth W. Orce............................      38,877           8,046          46,923
Mr. Donald M. Roberts..........................      40,000          16,323          56,323
Mr. John F. Schwarz............................      21,088           8,381          29,469
Mr. Walter Scott, Jr...........................      18,296          14,727          33,023
Mr. Bobby S. Shackouls.........................     825,177         156,112         981,289
Mr. William E. Wade, Jr. ......................       8,300           2,032          10,332
Mr. L. David Hanower...........................     199,060          55,720         254,780
Mr. Randy L. Limbacher.........................     191,114          24,988         216,102
Mr. Steven J. Shapiro..........................     156,472          18,985         175,457
Mr. John A. Williams...........................     170,686          20,734         191,420
ALL DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
  AS A GROUP (15 PERSONS)......................   1,740,485         353,685       2,094,170


NOTES

     (1) For purposes of this table, shares are considered to be "beneficially"
         owned if the person directly or indirectly has sole or shared voting or
         investment power with respect to such shares. In addition, a person is
         deemed to beneficially own shares if that person has the right to
         acquire such shares within 60 days of February 24, 2003. As a result,
         the number of shares shown in this column includes for Mr. Anderson,
         Ms. Grant, Mr. Harding, Mr. LaMacchia, Mr. McDonald, Mr. Orce, Mr.
         Roberts, Mr. Schwarz, Mr. Scott, Mr. Wade, Mr. Shackouls, Mr. Hanower,
         Mr. Limbacher, Mr. Shapiro, and Mr. Williams 7,000, 12,000, 5,000,
         12,000, 13,000, 26,252, 15,000, 18,626, 13,000, 7,000, 749,000,
         170,925, 157,100, 110,000 and 145,000 shares, respectively, and
         1,460,903 shares for all Directors and executive officers as a group,
         which such person (or group) has the right to acquire within 60 days of
         February 24, 2003. For Messrs. Shackouls, Hanower, Limbacher, Shapiro
         and Williams, the number of shares shown in this column includes
         70,000, 17,500, 20,000, 40,000 and 17,500 shares of Common Stock,
         respectively, subject to restrictions. Unless otherwise indicated
         below, the Directors, nominees for Directors, and executive officers
         named in the table above have sole voting and investment authority with
         respect to the shares set forth in the table.

     (2) These shares represent the economic equivalent of shares of Common
         Stock, and were received as a result of grants under the Phantom Stock
         Plan for Non-Employee Directors and several deferred compensation plans
         of the Company. These share equivalents are subject to Common Stock
         market price fluctuations.

     (3) Includes 3,000 shares of Common Stock owned by trusts of which Mr.
         Orce's wife is trustee and their children are beneficiaries. Mr. Orce
         disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.

     (4) Includes 1,200 shares of Common Stock owned by Entech Enterprises,
         Inc., of which Mr. Schwarz is President and Chief Executive Officer.
         Mr. Schwarz disclaims beneficial ownership of these shares.

                                                                               3


                             ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

     In accordance with the By-Laws of the Company, the Board of Directors has
fixed the number of Directors constituting the Board of Directors at eleven. It
is proposed to elect eleven Directors, each to hold office for a term of one
year and until his or her successor shall have been elected and qualified. The
Board of Directors has determined that each of the nominees, other than Mr.
Shackouls, is independent, as defined in the current and proposed New York Stock
Exchange regulations.

     Unless otherwise instructed by the stockholder, the persons named in the
enclosed form of proxy will vote the shares represented by such proxy for the
election of the nominees named in this Proxy Statement, subject to the condition
that if any of the named nominees should be unable to serve, discretionary
authority is reserved to vote for a substitute. No circumstances are presently
known which would render any nominee named herein unable or unwilling to serve.
Holders of the voting stock may not cumulate their votes in the election of
Directors.

     Each of the following nominees is a Director of the Company at the present
time:

     MR. REUBEN V. ANDERSON--Age--60. Member--Audit Committee and Governance and
Nominating Committee. Partner, Phelps Dunbar, Jackson, Mississippi--Law. For
more than five years, Mr. Anderson's principal occupation has been as shown
above. Mr. Anderson has been a Director of the Company since July 2001. Mr.
Anderson is also a director of BellSouth, The Kroger Company, Mississippi
Chemical Corporation and Trustmark National Bank.

     MS. LAIRD I. GRANT--Age--57. Member--Audit Committee. Managing Director,
U.S. Trust Company and Chief Investment Officer, U.S. Trust of Florida, Naples,
Florida--Investment Management. Since December 2002, Ms. Grant's principal
occupation has been as shown above. From October 2001 to December 2002, Ms.
Grant's principal occupation was Managing Director of U.S. Trust Company. From
December 1998 to October 2001, Ms. Grant was retired. From January 1995 to
December 1998, Ms. Grant was President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief
Investment Officer, and Director, Rockefeller & Co., Inc. a registered
investment advisor. Ms. Grant has been a Director of the Company since July
1996.

     MR. ROBERT J. HARDING--Age--45. Chairman--Audit Committee.
Member--Governance and Nominating Committee. Chairman, Brascan Corporation,
Toronto, Canada -- Real Estate, Financial and Power Generation Company with
Investments in Natural Resources. Since August 1997, Mr. Harding's principal
occupation has been as shown above. Mr. Harding is a Fellow Chartered
Accountant, an honor given by the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants to
senior chartered accountants to recognize their contributions to the profession.
Mr. Harding has been a Director of the Company since April 2002. Mr. Harding is
also a director of BPO Properties Inc., Falconbridge Limited, Nexfor Inc. and
Noranda Inc.

     MR. JOHN T. LAMACCHIA--Age--61. Member--Compensation Committee. Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer, Tellme Networks, Inc., Mountain View,
California--Telecommunications. Since September 2001, Mr. LaMacchia's principal
occupation has been as shown above. From May 2000 to September 2001, Mr.
LaMacchia was retired. From May 1999 to May 2000, Mr. LaMacchia was President
and Chief Executive Officer of Cellnet Data Systems, Inc. From October 1993
through February 1999, Mr. LaMacchia was President and Chief Executive Officer,
Cincinnati Bell Inc. Mr. LaMacchia has been a Director of the Company since July
1996. Mr. LaMacchia is also a director of The Kroger Company. In February 2000,
Cellnet Data Systems Inc. filed a voluntary petition for bankruptcy under
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in connection with the
acquisition of the company's assets and assumption of certain debt by
Schlumberger Limited.

     MR. JAMES F. MCDONALD--Age--63. Member--Compensation Committee and
Governance and Nominating Committee. Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer, Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., Lawrenceville, Georgia--Telecommunications.
Since November 2000, Mr. McDonald's principal occupation has been as shown
above. From July 1993 to November 2000 Mr. McDonald was President and Chief
Executive Officer, Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. Mr. McDonald has been a Director of
the Company since October 1988. Mr. McDonald is also a director of Mirant
Corporation and National Data Corporation.

 4


     MR. KENNETH W. ORCE--Age--59. Chairman--Governance and Nominating
Committee. Senior Partner, Cahill Gordon & Reindel, New York, New York--Law. For
more than five years, Mr. Orce's principal occupation has been as shown above.
Mr. Orce has been a Director of the Company since October 1997.

     MR. DONALD M. ROBERTS--Age--67. Member--Audit Committee. Retired. Mr.
Roberts has been retired since September 1995. From February 1990 until
September 1995, Mr. Roberts was Vice Chairman and Treasurer, United States Trust
Company of New York and its parent, U.S. Trust Corporation. Mr. Roberts has been
a Director of the Company since July 1993. Mr. Roberts is also a director of
York International Corporation.

     MR. JOHN F. SCHWARZ--Age--66. Member--Compensation Committee. Chairman,
President and Chief Executive Officer, Entech Enterprises, Inc., Houston,
Texas--Energy Investments. For more than five years, Mr. Schwarz' principal
occupation has been as shown above. Mr. Schwarz has been a Director of the
Company since October 1997. Mr. Schwarz is also a director of NS Group, Inc.

     MR. WALTER SCOTT, JR.--Age--71. Chairman--Compensation Committee.
Member--Governance and Nominating Committee. Chairman, Level 3 Communications,
Inc., Omaha, Nebraska -- Telecommunications and Internet Services. Since April
1998, Mr. Scott's principal occupation has been as shown above. From 1979
through March 1998, Mr. Scott was Chairman and President of Peter Kiewit Sons',
Inc. Mr. Scott has been a Director of the Company since July 1988. Mr. Scott is
also a director of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises,
Inc., ConAgra, Inc., Kiewit Materials Company, Peter Kiewit Sons' Inc., RCN
Corporation and Valmont Industries, Inc.

     MR. BOBBY S. SHACKOULS--Age--52. Chairman of the Board, President and Chief
Executive Officer, Burlington Resources Inc., Houston, Texas. Since July 1997,
Mr. Shackouls' principal occupation has been as shown above. Mr. Shackouls has
been a Director of the Company since December 1995. Mr. Shackouls is also a
director of The Kroger Company.

     MR. WILLIAM E. WADE, JR.--Age--60. Member--Compensation Committee. Retired.
For most of 1998, Mr. Wade was President of Atlantic Richfield Company, an oil
and gas company ("ARCO"). He served as an Executive Vice President of ARCO from
June 1993 to January 1998. Mr. Wade has been a Director of the Company since
July 2001.

DIRECTORS' COMPENSATION

     As of the date of the 2003 Annual Meeting, Directors who are not officers
or employees of the Company will receive an annual retainer of $75,000. In
addition, each Chairman of a Committee of the Board of Directors will receive an
annual retainer of $5,000. Directors who are also officers or employees of the
Company do not receive any compensation for duties performed as Directors.
Directors who are not officers or employees of the Company may defer all or part
of their compensation.

     The Company's 2000 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors provides
for the annual grant of a nonqualified option for 2,000 shares of Common Stock
immediately following the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to Directors who are
not employees of the Company. In addition, an option for 5,000 shares is granted
upon a Director's initial election or appointment to the Board of Directors. The
exercise price per share with respect to each option is the fair market value
(as defined in the plan) of the Common Stock on the date the option is granted.
During 2002, an annual option for 2,000 shares of Common Stock was granted to
Ms. Grant and to each of Messrs. Anderson, LaMacchia, McDonald, Orce, Roberts,
Schwarz, Scott and Wade pursuant to this plan. In addition, during 2002 an
option for 5,000 shares of Common Stock was granted pursuant to this plan to Mr.
Harding upon his election to the Board of Directors.

     The Company's Phantom Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors provides that
immediately following each Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a memorandum account
established for each of the Directors who is not an employee of the Company will
be credited with 1,000 shares of phantom stock. Dividends paid per share of
Common Stock are deemed to be paid per share of phantom stock and are reinvested
in additional phantom stock pursuant to the plan. Amounts credited to the
memorandum accounts pursuant to this plan are
                                                                               5


unfunded obligations of the Company. Upon termination of service as a Director,
phantom shares credited in the memorandum account will be valued at the fair
market value of the Company's Common Stock at that time and paid in cash.

     In 1991, the Company has established a Charitable Award Program for
Directors who have served on the Board of Directors for at least two years. Upon
the death of a Director, the Company will donate $1 million to one or more
educational institutions of higher learning or private foundations nominated by
the Director. In January 2003, the Board of Directors amended the program to
provide that persons first elected to serve on the Board of Directors after
January 2003 will not be eligible to participate in the program.

SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

     Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Company's
executive officers and Directors and persons who beneficially own more than 10
percent of a registered class of the Company's equity securities to file initial
reports of ownership and changes in ownership with the SEC. Such officers,
Directors and stockholders are required by SEC regulations to furnish the
Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file. Based solely on a
review of the copies of such forms furnished to the Company during the Company's
most recent fiscal year by the Company's executive officers, Directors, and
persons who beneficially own more than 10 percent of a registered class of the
Company's equity securities, all persons subject to the reporting requirements
of Section 16(a) filed the required reports on a timely basis.

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

     Kenneth W. Orce, a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, is a
senior partner at the law firm of Cahill Gordon & Reindel, which provides legal
services to the Company and its subsidiaries. For the fiscal year ended December
31, 2002, the total legal fees paid by the Company to Cahill Gordon & Reindel
represented less than 1% of the gross revenue of the firm.

     Walter Scott, Jr., a member of the Board of Directors of the Company, is a
significant shareholder of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company ("MidAmerican").
In 2002, MidAmerican acquired the Kern River Pipeline system and the Northern
Natural Gas Pipeline system. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, the
Company paid MidAmerican or its pipeline subsidiaries approximately $130,000,
with respect to gas sales and transportation charges, an amount which is less
than 1% of MidAmerican's consolidated gross revenues.

 6


                        REPORT ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
                         BY THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

     The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the "Committee") is
composed entirely of Directors who are not employees of the Company. The
Committee is responsible for establishing and administering the Company's
executive compensation program.

                     COMPENSATION PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES

     The philosophy underlying the development and administration of the
Company's annual and long-term compensation plans is the alignment of the
interests of the Company's executives with those of the shareholders. Key
elements of this philosophy are:

     - Establishing compensation plans which strengthen the Company's ability to
       attract and retain executives and key employees and to deliver pay
       commensurate with the Company's performance, as measured by strategic,
       operating and financial objectives.

     - Providing significant equity-based incentives for executives to ensure
       that they are motivated over the long term to respond to the Company's
       business challenges and opportunities as owners rather than just as
       employees.

     - Rewarding executives for superior performance when shareholders receive
       an above-average return on their investment over the long term.

     One of the Committee's objectives is to position executive base salaries to
be competitive with other companies in the energy sector. In 2002, executive
base salaries were at the median when compared to a group of oil and gas
companies. This compensation comparator group consists of twelve independent and
integrated oil and gas companies, including those currently in the Company's
self constructed peer group which is used in the Comparison of Cumulative Total
Shareholder Return, as well as Amerada Hess Corporation, Conoco Inc., Kerr-McGee
Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation and Phillips Petroleum Company.
The performance of the companies in the compensation comparator group is not
considered in establishing executive base salaries.

     The Incentive Compensation Plan, or annual bonus plan, is the program by
which executives can earn additional compensation based on individual, division
and Company performance relative to certain annual objectives. At maximum award
levels, total annual cash compensation for the Company's executives is in the
top quartile of the compensation comparator group's total annual cash
compensation. The plan allows for maximum awards of up to 150 percent of base
salary. In evaluating the Company's 2002 performance, the Committee considered a
combination of strategic, operating and financial objectives, including Return
on Capital Employed, growth in Appraised Net Worth per share, Change in Unit
Cash Costs, Change in Production per Share and Reserve Replacement Cost. The
change in Appraised Net Worth is calculated on a price normalized basis. These
measures were specifically weighted and are considered to be critical to the
Company's fundamental goal of building shareholder value. In addition, the
Committee has the discretion to override the result of these measures based upon
the Company's relative Total Shareholder Return as compared to its
self-constructed peer group. Beginning in 2003, the Committee will also consider
the Company's environmental health and safety performance as a measure which
could modify the results of the measures described above.

     The Company's long-term incentive program consists of the 2002 Stock
Incentive Plan (the "Stock Incentive Plan") and the 2001 Performance Share Unit
Plan (the "PSU Plan"). The Committee's objective is to structure the executives'
long-term incentive compensation opportunity at approximately the seventy-fifth
percentile of long-term compensation provided by the compensation comparator
group and to emphasize equity as the cornerstone of the Company's long-term
incentive compensation program. Long-term incentive benefits are dependent on
the Company's achievement of its strategic, operating and financial goals, the
Company's relative Total Shareholder Return as compared to the TSR peer group,
and the price of the Company's Common Stock.

                                                                               7


     Under the Stock Incentive Plan, stock options are granted to executives,
managers and key employees. The options vest no earlier than one year after the
grant date, have a term of ten years and have an exercise price equal to the
fair market value of the Common Stock on the day of grant. Restricted stock is
also granted to this group of employees. The restrictions on this stock
generally lapse on the third anniversary of the date of grant.

     Vesting of units under the PSU Plan occurs over a four year performance
period ending in December 2004 and is dependent on the Company's achievement of
its strategic, operating and financial objectives and the Company's relative
Total Shareholder Return. Up to 25 percent of the units granted are eligible to
vest and pay-out for each year of the plan. Units which do not vest in any given
year may be carried over for vesting consideration at the end of the four year
cycle.

     The deferred compensation provisions of the Company's compensation plans,
including the PSU Plan, permit participants to allocate all or a portion of
their deferred compensation in a variety of investment funds, including phantom
shares of the Company's Common Stock. As an inducement for executives to
increase their exposure to the Company's Common Stock, the plans permit
executives the opportunity to invest their deferred PSU Plan pay-out in phantom
shares at 75 percent of the fair market value of the Company's Common Stock,
provided that such funds may not be transferred to another investment fund for
three years or until termination of employment. Beginning in 2003, the Incentive
Compensation Plan also allows deferrals into phantom stock at 75 percent of fair
market value. In addition, the Stock Incentive Plan permits a participant to
forfeit Restricted Stock and receive phantom stock in the deferral plans at fair
market value.

     The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 places a limit on the amount
of certain types of compensation for each of the executive officers which may be
tax deductible by the Company. The Company's policy is, primarily, to design and
administer compensation plans which support the achievement of long-term
strategic objectives and enhance shareholder value. Where it is consistent with
this compensation philosophy, the Committee will also attempt to structure
compensation programs that are tax-deductible by the Company.

                      COMPANY PERFORMANCE AND COMPENSATION

  Annual Incentive Award

     The Company generally exceeded its operational objectives for the year.
Return on Capital Employed, change in Unit Cash Costs, Reserve Replacement Costs
and price normalized Appraised Net Worth per share all significantly exceeded
objectives. Change in natural gas equivalent production per share met the
target.

     The Company significantly improved its asset portfolio through acquisitions
of high-potential properties and a $1.2 billion divestiture program to dispose
of non-core assets. Through internal development and acquisitions, the Company
replaced 161 percent of production for the year.

     In view of these results, the Committee awarded Mr. Shackouls an annual
incentive award of $1,195,350, which represents 122.6 percent of his base
salary. Similarly, the Committee awarded the other executive officers 122.6
percent of their base salaries.

     In general, the Committee reviews the base salaries for the executive group
every year and in connection with promotions or significant changes in
responsibilities. In January 2003, the base salaries for Messrs. Shapiro and
Limbacher were adjusted due to promotion. The base salaries for Mr. Shackouls
and the other executive officers were not adjusted.

  Long-Term Incentive Plan Payout

     The Company's performance, for purposes of the PSU Plan pay-out, was
evaluated over a two year period, beginning January 1, 2001 and ending December
31, 2002. The Committee determined that the Company's performance was excellent
and its Total Shareholder Return was excellent, compared to the self-
constructed TSR peer group. The Committee approved the vesting of 75 percent of
the eligible units based upon the Company's performance for 2002 or 37,500 units
for Mr. Shackouls and an aggregate of 37,500 units for the other executive
officers.

 8


     Pay-out under the PSU Plan, which occurred in January 2003, was based on
the number of vested units multiplied by the average closing price of the
Company's Common Stock for the 20 trading days prior to and including December
31, 2002. Payments under this plan consisted of $1,585,875 to Mr. Shackouls and
an aggregate of $1,585,876 to the other executive officers.

  Long-Term Incentive Plan Awards

     As an incentive for future performance and consistent with the objective of
targeting long-term incentive compensation at the seventy-fifth percentile when
compared to the comparator group of oil and gas companies, the Committee in
January 2003 granted Mr. Shackouls 100,000 stock options and 30,000 shares of
restricted stock. The Committee also granted the other executive officers an
aggregate of 120,000 stock options and an aggregate of 35,000 shares of
restricted stock. The grant of restricted stock vests in three years. In October
2002, the Committee made a special grant of 20,000 shares of restricted stock to
Mr. Shapiro which vests over four years.

     Additional awards were made under the PSU Plan in January 2003 to newly
promoted executive officers.

                                STOCK OWNERSHIP

     The Committee established stock ownership guidelines in 1993 to more
closely align executive management's personal financial interests with the
interests of all shareholders. The guidelines require executives, depending upon
their position, to hold the equivalent of one to four times their base pay in
the Company's Common Stock. For new incumbents, these targets are to be achieved
within five years of their appointment to the position. As of February 24, 2003,
the record date for the Annual Meeting, each of the Company's executive officers
had attained the stock ownership targets currently required by the guidelines.

                                    COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

                                    Mr. Walter Scott, Jr., Chairman
                                    Mr. John T. LaMacchia
                                    Mr. John F. Schwarz
                                    Mr. William E. Wade, Jr.

                                                                               9


                               PERFORMANCE GRAPH

     The Company compares the Cumulative Total Shareholder Return on the Common
Stock of the Company with that of a self-constructed peer group. The peer group
consists of Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Apache Corp., Devon Energy Corporation,
EOG Resources, Inc., Noble Energy, Inc., Ocean Energy, Inc. and Unocal
Corporation.

             Comparison of 5-Year Cumulative Total Shareholder Return

                              [PERFORMANCE GRAPH]



                                   12/31/97   12/31/98   12/31/99   12/31/00   12/31/01   12/31/02
                                   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------
                                                                        
Burlington Resources.............    $100       $ 81       $ 76       $117       $ 89       $102
S & P 500........................     100        129        156        141        125         97
Corporate Peers(1)...............     100         80         92        167        132        128


                             YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31

            Comparison of 2-Year Cumulative Total Shareholder Return

                              [PERFORMANCE GRAPH]



                                12/31/2000   12/31/2001   12/31/2002
                                ----------   ----------   ----------
                                                 
Burlington Resources..........     $100         $ 75         $ 87
Corporate Peers(1)............      100           79           77
S & P 500.....................      100           88           69


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

NOTES

(1) The index is weighted to reflect the relative market capitalization of the
    peer group companies at the beginning of each period for which a return is
    indicated.

 10


                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

     The following information is furnished for the years ended December 31,
2002, 2001, and 2000 with respect to the Company's Chief Executive Officer and
each of the four other most highly compensated executive officers of the Company
and its subsidiaries during 2002 whose salary and bonus exceeded $100,000
("named executive officers"). Annual compensation includes amounts deferred at
the officer's election.


                                                                                             LONG-TERM COMPENSATION
                                                                                 ----------------------------------------------
                                                                                            AWARDS                  PAYOUTS
                                                 ANNUAL COMPENSATION             ----------------------------   ---------------
                                       ---------------------------------------                     SECURITIES
                                                               OTHER ANNUAL      RESTRICTED        UNDERLYING
 NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION    YEAR    SALARY     BONUS(1)    COMPENSATION(5)   STOCK AWARDS(2)    OPTIONS     LTIP PAYOUTS(3)
------------------------------  ----   --------   ----------   ---------------   ---------------   ----------   ---------------
                                                                                           
Mr. Bobby S. Shackouls          2002   $975,000   $1,195,350      $134,731          $707,800         140,000      $1,585,875
  Chairman of the Board,        2001   $975,000   $1,109,550      $147,945          $985,000         100,000      $  911,500
  President and Chief           2000   $910,020   $  819,018      $ 67,010          $862,500          50,000      $2,265,842
  Executive Officer
Mr. Randy L. Limbacher          2002   $400,020   $  490,425      $  6,600          $176,950          35,000      $  396,469
  Executive Vice President      2001   $400,020   $  455,223      $  5,270          $246,250          25,000      $  227,875
  and Chief Operating Officer   2000   $375,000   $  337,500      $180,530          $172,500          12,000      $  527,209
Mr. Steven J. Shapiro(6)        2002   $400,020   $  490,425      $135,816          $943,350          35,000      $  396,469
  Executive Vice President      2001   $400,020   $  455,223      $ 73,249          $246,250          25,000      $  227,875
  and Chief Financial Officer   2000   $ 75,255   $   84,375         --                --             50,000           --
Mr. John A. Williams            2002   $400,020   $  490,425      $  3,558          $176,950          35,000      $  396,469
  Senior Vice President,        2001   $400,020   $  455,223      $ 79,210          $246,250          25,000      $  227,875
  Exploration                   2000   $375,000   $  337,500      $184,347          $172,500          12,000      $  555,143
Mr. L. David Hanower            2002   $385,020   $  472,035      $155,514          $176,950          35,000      $  396,469
  Senior Vice President,        2001   $365,040   $  415,416      $ 97,334          $246,250          25,000      $  227,875
  Law and Administration        2000   $325,020   $  292,518      $196,027          $172,500          12,000      $  538,503



                                 ALL OTHER
 NAME AND PRINCIPAL POSITION    COMPENSATION(4)
------------------------------  ---------------
                             
Mr. Bobby S. Shackouls             $141,541
  Chairman of the Board,           $123,137
  President and Chief              $100,057
  Executive Officer
Mr. Randy L. Limbacher             $ 74,493
  Executive Vice President         $ 64,376
  and Chief Operating Officer      $ 50,808
Mr. Steven J. Shapiro(6)           $ 51,315
  Executive Vice President         $ 29,064
  and Chief Financial Officer      $  3,750
Mr. John A. Williams               $275,084
  Senior Vice President,           $241,365
  Exploration                      $195,552
Mr. L. David Hanower               $ 64,035
  Senior Vice President,           $ 52,605
  Law and Administration           $ 42,504


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

NOTES

(1) Unless otherwise noted, bonus payments are reported for the year in which
    the related services were performed.

(2) The value of restricted stock reported in this column is based on the
    closing price of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange on the date
    of grant. On December 31, 2002, Messrs. Shackouls, Limbacher, Shapiro,
    Williams and Hanower held 65,000, 15,000, 30,000, 15,000 and 15,000 shares,
    respectively, of restricted Common Stock, having a market value, based on
    the closing price of the Common Stock on such date, of $2,772,250, $639,750,
    $1,279,500, $639,750 and $639,750, respectively. For Mr. Shapiro the number
    of shares of restricted stock includes 20,000 shares of restricted Common
    Stock granted on October 16, 2002 which will vest in equal installments
    annually during the next four years, beginning on October 16, 2003 and will
    be fully vested on October 16, 2006. Dividends are paid on restricted Common
    Stock at the same rate as paid on unrestricted Common Stock.

(3) Regarding 2002, long-term incentive plan payout pursuant to the Company's
    2001 Performance Share Unit Plan ("PSU Plan") for the performance period
    which began January 1, 2002 and ended on December 31, 2002. Under the PSU
    Plan, this payment is equal to the number of vested units multiplied by the
    average closing price of the Company's Common Stock for the 20 business days
    immediately preceding and including December 31, 2002. Of the units eligible
    to vest in 2002, 75% were vested. Of this amount, Messrs. Shapiro and
    Hanower deferred 100% of their payouts into phantom shares of the Company's
    Common Stock. Regarding 2001, long-term incentive plan payout pursuant to
    the PSU Plan for the performance period which began January 1, 2001 and
    ended on December 31, 2001. Under the PSU Plan, this payment is equal to the
    number of vested units multiplied by the average closing price of the
    Company's Common Stock for the 20 business days immediately preceding and
    including December 31, 2001. Of the units eligible to vest in 2001, 50% were
    vested. Of this amount, Messrs. Williams and Hanower deferred 100% of their
    payouts, and Mr. Shapiro deferred $159,513, into phantom shares of the
    Company's Common Stock. Regarding 2000, long-term incentive plan payout
    pursuant to the Company's 1997 Performance Share Unit Plan ("1997 PSU Plan")
    for the performance period which began January 1, 1997 and ended on December
    31, 2000. Under the terms of the 1997 PSU Plan, this payment is equal to the
    number of vested units multiplied by the average closing price of the
    Company's Common Stock for the 20 business days immediately preceding and
    including the last day of the performance period. Units vested under the
    1997 PSU Plan throughout the four year performance cycle. In aggregate, 65%
    of the units granted under the 1997 PSU Plan vested.

(4) Includes matching contributions made by the Company during 2002 in the
    Company's Retirement Savings Plan and Supplemental Benefits Plan for Messrs.
    Shackouls, Limbacher, Shapiro, Williams and Hanower of $125,073, $68,419,
    $51,315, $68,419 and $64,035, respectively. Includes matching contributions
    made by the Company during 2001 in the Company's Retirement Savings Plan and
    Supplemental Benefits Plan for Messrs. Shackouls, Limbacher, Shapiro,
    Williams and Hanower of $107,641, $59,002, $29,064, $59,002 and $52,605,
    respectively. Includes matching contributions made by the Company during
    2000 in the Company's Retirement Savings Plan and Supplemental Benefits Plan
    for Messrs. Shackouls, Limbacher, Shapiro, Williams and Hanower of $91,726,
    $48,000, $3,750, $51,002 and $42,504, respectively. Includes for Messrs.
    Shackouls, Limbacher and Williams interest accrued during 2002 in excess of
    120% of the applicable federal interest rate with respect to salary and
    bonus deferrals pursuant to the Company's Deferred Compensation Arrangement
    in the amounts of $16,468, $6,073 and $10,011, respectively. Includes for
    Mr. Williams interest accrued during 2002 in excess of 120% of the
    applicable federal interest rate with respect to salary and bonus deferrals
    pursuant to the LL&E Deferred Compensation Arrangement in the amount of
    $196,653. Includes for Messrs. Shackouls, Limbacher and Williams interest
    accrued during 2001 in excess of 120% of the applicable federal interest

                                                                              11


    rate with respect to salary and bonus deferrals pursuant to the Company's
    Deferred Compensation Plan in the amounts of $15,496, $5,374 and $7,490,
    respectively. Includes for Mr. Williams interest accrued during 2001 in
    excess of 120% of the applicable federal interest rate with respect to
    salary and bonus deferrals pursuant to the LL&E Deferred Compensation
    Arrangement in the amount of $174,873. Includes for Messrs. Shackouls,
    Limbacher and Williams interest accrued during 2000 in excess of 120% of the
    applicable federal interest rate with respect to salary and bonus deferrals
    pursuant to the Company's Deferred Compensation Plan in the amounts of
    $8,331, $2,808 and $121, respectively. Includes for Mr. Williams interest
    accrued during 2000 in excess of 120% of the applicable federal interest
    rate with respect to salary and bonus deferrals pursuant to the LL&E
    Deferred Compensation Arrangement in the amount of $144,429.

(5) For Mr. Shackouls includes $35,138 and $38,338 attributed for personal use
    of Company airplanes in 2002 and 2001, respectively.

(6) Mr. Shapiro joined the Company October 18, 2000.

                            OPTIONS GRANTED IN 2002

     The following information is furnished for the year ended December 31, 2002
with respect to the named executive officers for stock options which were
granted in January 2002 under the Burlington Resources Inc. 1993 Stock Incentive
Plan.



                                           NUMBER OF
                                           SECURITIES    % OF TOTAL
                                           UNDERLYING     OPTIONS
                                            OPTIONS       GRANTED      EXERCISE                 GRANT DATE
                                           GRANTED IN   TO EMPLOYEES     PRICE     EXPIRATION    PRESENT
                  NAME                      2002(1)       IN 2002      PER SHARE    DATE(1)      VALUE(2)
                  ----                     ----------   ------------   ---------   ----------   ----------
                                                                                 
Mr. Bobby S. Shackouls...................  137,200(3)       25.2%       $35.45       1/9/12     $1,809,668
                                             2,800(4)         .6%       $35.45       1/8/12     $   38,920

Mr. Randy L. Limbacher...................   32,200(3)        5.9%       $35.45       1/9/12     $  424,718
                                             2,800(4)         .6%       $35.45       1/8/12     $   38,920

Mr. Steven J. Shapiro....................   32,200(3)        5.9%       $35.45       1/9/12     $  424,718
                                             2,800(4)         .6%       $35.45       1/8/12     $   38,920

Mr. John A. Williams.....................   32,200(3)        5.9%       $35.45       1/9/12     $  424,718
                                             2,800(4)         .6%       $35.45       1/8/12     $   38,920

Mr. L. David Hanower.....................   32,200(3)        5.9%       $35.45       1/9/12     $  424,718
                                             2,800(4)         .6%       $35.45       1/8/12     $   38,920


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

NOTES

(1) Under the terms of the Stock Incentive Plan, options are granted at fair
    market value and generally may not be exercised until the employee has
    completed one year of continuous employment with the Company or its
    subsidiaries from the grant date. Options have a term of ten years and
    generally terminate one year following an optionee's death or three years
    after termination of employment, disability, retirement, termination in
    certain events following a "Change in Control" of the Company, as defined in
    the Stock Incentive Plan (a "Change in Control"), or other termination,
    except that the Compensation Committee may terminate options earlier
    following such other termination of employment of the named executive
    officers.

(2) The value has been calculated using a variation of the Black-Scholes stock
    option valuation methodology. The applied model used the grant date of
    January 9, 2002, with an option price of $35.45, it assumed a stock price
    volatility of 40.66 percent, a risk-free rate of return of 5.02 percent, a
    dividend of $0.55 per year and an expected term until exercise of ten years.
    The value has been reduced by approximately 23.48 percent to reflect the
    probability of forfeiture due to termination of employment prior to vesting
    or of a shortened option term due to termination of employment prior to the
    expiration date.

(3) Nonqualified stock options which became exercisable on January 9, 2003.

(4) Incentive stock options which became exercisable on January 9, 2003.

 12


            AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN 2002 AND YEAR-END VALUES

     The following information is furnished for the year ended December 31, 2002
with respect to the named executive officers for stock option exercises which
occurred during 2002.



                                                                   NUMBER OF
                                                             SECURITIES UNDERLYING         VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                               NUMBER OF                      UNEXERCISED OPTIONS          IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS
                              SECURITIES                     AT DECEMBER 31, 2002         AT DECEMBER 31, 2002(2)
                              ACQUIRED ON      VALUE      ---------------------------   ---------------------------
            NAME               EXERCISE     REALIZED(1)   EXERCISABLE   UNEXERCISABLE   EXERCISABLE   UNEXERCISABLE
            ----              -----------   -----------   -----------   -------------   -----------   -------------
                                                                                    
Mr. Bobby S. Shackouls......     --            --           609,000        140,000      $1,000,454     $1,008,000
Mr. Randy L. Limbacher......     --            --           122,100         35,000      $  245,124     $  252,000
Mr. Steven J. Shapiro.......     --            --            75,000         35,000      $  101,250     $  252,000
Mr. John A. Williams........    12,000       $122,624       110,000         35,000          --         $  252,000
Mr. L. David Hanower........     4,600       $ 18,555       135,925         35,000      $  189,642     $  252,000


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

NOTES

(1) This amount is the aggregate of the market value of the Common Stock at the
    time each stock option was exercised minus the exercise price for that
    option.

(2) This amount is the aggregate of the number of in-the-money options
    multiplied by the difference between the exercise price for that option and
    $42.65, the closing price of the Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange
    on December 31, 2002.

                                                                              13


                                  PENSION PLAN

     Benefit accruals under the qualified pension plan of the Company and its
subsidiaries (the "Pension Plan") and the nonqualified Supplemental Benefits
Plan (the "Supplemental Benefits Plan") are based on the gross amount of
earnings, including incentive bonuses, but excluding all commissions and other
extra or added compensation or benefits of any kind or nature. Estimated annual
benefit levels under the Plans, based on earnings and years of credited service
at age 65, are as follows:

                               PENSION PLAN TABLE



       AVERAGE                          YEARS OF SERVICE AT AGE 65
       PENSION         -------------------------------------------------------------
     EARNINGS(1)          15          20           25            30           35
---------------------  --------    --------    ----------    ----------   ----------
                                                           
 600,000                141,878     189,170       236,463       283,755      331,048
 700,000                165,878     221,170       276,463       331,755      387,048
 800,000                189,878     253,170       316,463       379,755      443,048
 900,000                213,878     285,170       356,463       427,755      499,048
1,000,000               237,878     317,170       396,463       475,755      555,048
1,100,000               261,878     349,170       436,463       523,755      611,048
1,200,000               285,878     381,170       476,463       571,755      667,048
1,300,000               309,878     413,170       516,463       619,755      723,048
1,400,000               333,878     445,170       556,463       667,755      779,048
1,500,000               357,878     477,170       596,463       715,755      835,048
1,600,000               381,878     509,170       636,463       763,755      891,048
1,700,000               405,878     541,170       676,463       811,755      947,048
1,800,000               429,878     573,170       716,463       859,755    1,003,048
1,900,000               453,878     605,170       756,463       907,755    1,059,048
2,000,000               477,878     637,170       796,463       955,755    1,115,048
2,100,000               501,878     669,170       836,463     1,003,755    1,171,048
2,200,000               525,878     701,170       876,463     1,051,755    1,227,048
2,300,000               549,878     733,170       916,463     1,099,755    1,283,048
2,400,000               573,878     765,170       956,463     1,147,755    1,339,048
2,500,000               597,878     797,170       996,463     1,195,755    1,395,048
2,600,000               621,878     829,170     1,036,463     1,243,755    1,451,048
2,700,000               645,878     861,170     1,076,463     1,291,755    1,507,048
2,750,000               657,878     877,170     1,096,463     1,315,755    1,535,048


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

NOTE

(1) Average pension earnings for a given year include salary and bonus payments.
    Under the Pension Plan, the maximum benefit payable in 2002 is $160,000 and
    the maximum amount of compensation that may be considered is $200,000.
    Pension Plan benefits are not reduced by Social Security benefits.

     The Pension Plan formula (as amended as of January 1, 1999) for normal
retirement benefits at age 65 is 1.1 percent of the highest three-year average
earnings, plus 0.5 percent of the highest three-year average earnings in excess
of one-third of the FICA taxable wage base in effect during the year of
termination, times the number of years of credited service. An early retirement
supplement equal to 1 percent of the highest three-year average earnings up to
one-third of the FICA taxable wage base in effect in the year of termination,
times the number of years of credited service, is payable until age 65. Both the
basic benefit and the early retirement supplement are reduced by 2 percent for
each year the employee's actual retirement date precedes the date the employee
would have attained age 65. Years of credited service under the Pension Plan at
age 65 for Messrs. Shackouls, Limbacher, Shapiro, Williams, and Hanower would be
22, 37, 16, 23, and 34, respectively.

 14


                   EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS AND SEVERANCE PLANS

     The Company has an agreement with Mr. Shackouls which provides for his
employment as Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of
the Company at a minimum annual salary of $825,000, effective for three years
from the date the Company notifies him that it does not wish to extend the term.
The Agreement shall terminate automatically on the date of the Company's Annual
Meeting of Stockholders following Mr. Shackouls' 60th birthday. The agreement
provides that upon termination of employment within two years after a Change in
Control of the Company, Mr. Shackouls will be entitled to the greater of the
benefits under the employment agreement or the Company's Executive Change in
Control Severance Plan (the "Change in Control Severance Plan"). Pursuant to
this agreement, Mr. Shackouls is entitled to approximately thirteen additional
years of credited service under the Supplemental Benefits Plan if he remains
employed by the Company until age 55 or is terminated by the Company prior to
age 55.

     The Change in Control Severance Plan provides severance benefits following
a Change in Control for certain officers of the Company and its subsidiaries,
including the named executive officers listed in the Summary Compensation Table,
in an amount equal to (i) three times the sum of annual salary plus the bonus
amount defined in the plan and (ii) a pro rata bonus amount for the year in
which the change in control occurs. The Change in Control Severance Plan also
provides for the continuation of life, health, survivor benefit and long-term
disability insurance for a period of up to 36 months subsequent to a
participant's termination of employment following a Change in Control as well as
a supplemental pension payable under the Supplemental Benefits Plan calculated
by adding three years of additional credited pension service and certain other
benefits. Benefits are payable under the Change in Control Severance Plan for
any termination of employment within two years of the date of a Change in
Control, except where termination is by reason of death, disability, for cause,
instituted by the employee for other than good reason or the employee is offered
employment with a divested operating unit of the Company. The Change in Control
Severance Plan also provides that the Company will pay legal fees and expenses
incurred by a participant to enforce rights or benefits under the plan.

     As defined in the Change in Control Severance Plan, a "Change in Control"
shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (a) a person or group
acquires 20% or more of the Company's voting securities; (b) a merger,
consolidation or reorganization with or into the Company or in which securities
of the Company are issued unless such merger is a "Non-Control Transaction" as
defined in the Change in Control Severance Plan; (c) the sale or disposition of
substantially all of the Company's assets; (d) a complete liquidation or
dissolution of the Company; or (e) members of the Board of Directors on the
effective date of the Change in Control Severance Plan and new members approved
by at least two-thirds of such members and previously approved members cease to
constitute a majority of the Board of Directors.

     The Company also has an agreement with Mr. Shapiro which provides that if
(i) Mr. Shapiro is still employed by the Company on his 55th birthday or (ii)
before his 55th birthday, Mr. Shapiro's employment with the Company is
involuntarily terminated by the Company (other than for "Cause" or as a result
of his death or "Permanent Disability," each as defined in the Company's Key
Executive Severance Protection Plan), Mr. Shapiro will receive upon termination
of his employment with the Company a supplemental pension benefit equal to the
difference between the benefit calculated using his actual service and the
benefit calculated assuming Mr. Shapiro had an additional three years of
credited service. This supplemental pension benefit will be calculated using the
provisions of the qualified Pension Plan and the non-qualified Supplemental
Benefits Plan in effect at the time Mr. Shapiro's employment with the Company is
terminated.

     The Company has also agreed to provide certain employees formerly employed
in the Company's Seattle, Washington office, including Mr. Hanower, with
additional pension-related benefits if their employment terminates prior to age
60 equal to the lump sum value of the additional benefits the employee would
have received under the Company's Pension Plan and Supplemental Benefits Plan if
the employee had retired upon early retirement at age 60, based on the
assumptions that the employee's base salary increases 6% per year, the employee
receives the maximum bonus opportunity each year, and the Social Security
integration level increases at 5% per year.

                                                                              15


     The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), imposes an
excise tax on payments to certain employees following a Change in Control if the
payments meet certain requirements and exceed certain limits set forth in the
Code. If payments under the Change in Control Severance Plan (the "Severance
Payments") are subject to this excise tax, the Company will pay an additional
amount to the participant (the "Gross-Up Payment") such that the participant
retains, after payment of the excise tax on the Severance Payments and the
Gross-Up Payment and any income tax and Medicare tax on the Gross-Up Payment, an
amount equal to the Severance Payments.

                           REPORT BY AUDIT COMMITTEE

     The primary purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of
Directors' oversight of (1) the integrity of the Company's financial statements,
(2) the independent auditor's qualifications, independence and performance, (3)
the performance of the Company's internal audit function, and (4) the Company's
compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The Audit Committee is solely
responsible for the appointment and compensation of the Company's independent
auditors. The Audit Committee is composed of four independent directors and
operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board of Directors,
attached as a Schedule A to this Proxy Statement. During the fiscal year 2002,
the Audit Committee held nine meetings.

     It is not the responsibility of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct
audits, to determine that the Company's financial statements are in all material
respects complete and accurate in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles, or to certify the Company's financial statements. This is the
responsibility of management and the independent auditors. It is also not the
responsibility of the Audit Committee to guarantee the independent auditor's
report or assure compliance with laws and regulations and the Company's Code of
Business Conduct and Ethics.

     Based on the Audit Committee's review of the audited financial statements,
its discussions with management regarding the audited financial statements, its
receipt of written disclosures and the letter from independent auditors required
by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, its discussions with the
independent auditors regarding such auditor's independence, the audited
financial statements, the matters required to be discussed by the Statement on
Auditing Standards No. 61 and other matters the Audit Committee deemed relevant
and appropriate, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that
the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002 be
included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for such fiscal year.

                                    AUDIT COMMITTEE

                                    Mr. Robert J. Harding, Chairman
                                    Mr. Reuben V. Anderson
                                    Ms. Laird I. Grant
                                    Mr. Donald M. Roberts

                                    AUDITORS

     The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors has appointed, and the Board
of Directors has ratified, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP ("PWC") as independent
public accountants for the year ending December 31, 2003.

     Representatives of PWC will be present at the Annual Meeting with the
opportunity to make a statement and to respond to appropriate questions.

 16


AUDIT FEES

     The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by PWC for the
audit of the Company's financial statements for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2002, and the reviews of the financial statements included in the Company's
Forms 10-Q for such fiscal year were $2,035,500.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION FEES

     PWC did not provide the Company any financial information systems design
and implementation services as used in Paragraph (c)(4)(ii) of Rule 2-01 of
Regulation S-X for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002.

ALL OTHER FEES

     The aggregate fees billed for services rendered by PWC, other than for
audit services and financial information systems design and implementation
services, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002 were $321,950. These
services included work for benefit plan audits, tax compliance and consulting,
registration statements and business continuity planning consultation.

GENERAL

     The Audit Committee of the Company's Board of Directors has considered
whether the provision of services by PWC covered by "Financial Information
Systems Design and Implementation Fees" and "All Other Fees" above is compatible
with maintaining PWC's independence.

                            EXPENSES OF SOLICITATION

     The expenses of preparing and mailing this Proxy Statement and the
accompanying form of proxy and the cost of solicitation of proxies on behalf of
the management will be borne by the Company. In addition, D. F. King & Co. has
been retained to aid in the solicitation at an estimated fee of $10,000. Proxies
may be solicited by personal interview, mail and telephone. Brokerage houses,
other custodians and nominees will be asked whether other persons are beneficial
owners of the shares which they hold of record and, if so, they will be supplied
with additional copies of the proxy materials for distribution to such
beneficial owners. The Company will reimburse parties holding stock in their
names or in the names of their nominees for their reasonable expenses in sending
proxy material to their principals.

                            ELECTRONIC PROXY VOTING

     Registered shareholders can vote their shares via (1) a toll-free telephone
call from the U.S. and Canada; or (2) the Internet; or (3) by mailing their
signed proxy card. The telephone and Internet voting procedures are designed to
authenticate shareholders' identities, to allow shareholders to vote their
shares and to confirm that their instructions have been properly recorded.
Specific instructions to be followed by any registered shareholder interested in
voting via telephone or the Internet are set forth on the enclosed proxy card.

                    HOUSEHOLDING OF ANNUAL MEETING MATERIALS

     The Securities and Exchange Commission rules regarding the delivery of
proxy statements and annual reports permit the Company, in specified
circumstances, to deliver a single set of these reports to any address at which
two or more stockholders reside. This method of delivery, often referred to as
"householding," will reduce the amount of duplicative information that security
holders receive and lower printing and mailing costs for the Company. Each
stockholder will continue to receive a separate proxy card.

     We have delivered only one proxy statement and annual report to eligible
stockholders who share an address, unless we received contrary instructions from
any such stockholder prior to the mailing date. If a stockholder prefers to
receive separate copies of the Company's proxy statement or annual report,
either now or in the future, the Company will promptly deliver, upon written or
oral request, a separate copy of the proxy

                                                                              17


statement or annual report, as requested, to any stockholder at the shared
address to which a single copy was delivered. Such requests should be
communicated to the Company's transfer agent, EquiServe Trust Company, N.A.
either by sending a request in writing to P.O. Box 43010, Providence, Rhode
Island 02940 or by calling 1-800-736-3001.

     If you are currently a stockholder sharing an address with another
stockholder and wish to have only one proxy statement and annual report
delivered to the household in the future, please contact EquiServe at the
address or telephone number indicated above.

                                 OTHER MATTERS

     Management knows of no other matters which are likely to be brought before
the meeting. However, if any other matters, not now known or determined, come
before the meeting, the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy or their
substitutes will vote such proxy in accordance with their judgment in such
matters.

                                 ANNUAL REPORT

     This Proxy Statement does not include information regarding executive
officers called for by Item 401(b) of Regulation S-K because such information is
furnished in the Company's 2002 Annual Report to Stockholders and such
information is incorporated herein by reference thereto. A copy of the Company's
2002 Annual Report to Stockholders is being mailed with this Proxy Statement to
each stockholder of record. Stockholders not receiving a copy of such Annual
Report may obtain one by writing or calling Mr. Jeffery P. Monte, Corporate
Secretary, Burlington Resources Inc., 5051 Westheimer, Suite 1400, Houston,
Texas 77056-2124, telephone (713) 624-9500.

                      SUBMISSION OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS
                          FOR THE 2004 ANNUAL MEETING

     Stockholder proposals for inclusion in the Proxy Statement to be issued in
connection with the 2004 Annual Meeting of Stockholders must be mailed to Mr.
Jeffery P. Monte, Corporate Secretary, Burlington Resources Inc., 5051
Westheimer, Suite 1400, Houston, Texas 77056-2124, and must be received by the
Corporate Secretary on or before November 22, 2003.

     Stockholder proposals submitted outside of the procedures set forth above,
including nominations for Directors, must be mailed to Mr. Jeffery P. Monte,
Corporate Secretary, at the address above and must be received by the Corporate
Secretary on or before January 21, 2004. If a proposal is received after that
date, the Company's proxy for the 2004 Annual Meeting may confer discretionary
authority to vote on such matter without any discussion of such matter in the
proxy statement for the 2004 Annual Meeting.

                                      By Order of the Board of Directors

                                      JEFFERY P. MONTE
                                      Corporate Secretary

 18


                                                                      SCHEDULE A

                           BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC.

                            AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER

ORGANIZATION

     The Board of Directors shall designate annually an Audit Committee
comprised of three or more Directors, who may be removed by the Board of
Directors in its discretion. The members of the Audit Committee shall be
"independent" as determined in accordance with the laws, rules and regulations
of the New York Stock Exchange, financially literate (or must become financially
literate within a reasonable period of time after his or her appointment to the
Audit Committee), at least one shall have accounting or related financial
management expertise and shall otherwise comply with and satisfy the
requirements of the New York Stock Exchange, the securities laws and all other
applicable laws, rules and regulations. The Audit Committee shall report
regularly to the Board of Directors.

     A Chairman of the Audit Committee shall be elected annually by the Board of
Directors.

PURPOSE

     The primary purpose of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of
Directors' oversight of (1) the integrity of the Company's financial statements,
(2) the independent auditor's qualifications, independence and performance, (3)
the performance of the Company's internal audit function, and (4) the Company's
compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

     The Audit Committee shall prepare the report required by the rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission to be included in the Company's annual proxy
statement.

     While the Audit Committee recognizes the importance of its role, it is not
the responsibility of the Audit Committee to plan or conduct audits, to
determine that the Company's financial statements are in all material respects
complete and accurate and in accordance with generally accepted accounting
principles ("GAAP"), or to certify the Company's financial statements. These are
the responsibilities of management and the independent auditor. It is also not
the responsibility of the Audit Committee to guarantee the independent auditor's
report. The Audit Committee shall assist the Board of Directors in overseeing
management and the independent auditors in fulfilling their responsibilities in
the financial reporting process of the Company.

MEETINGS

     The Audit Committee shall meet at least four times each year, or more
frequently as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out its
responsibilities and may, in its sole discretion, form and delegate authority to
subcommittees (comprised only of Audit Committee members) in furtherance of such
responsibilities. Meetings of the Audit Committee shall be called by the
Chairman of the Audit Committee, the Chairman of the Board or the President of
the Company. All such meetings shall be held pursuant to the By-Laws of the
Company with regard to notice and waiver thereof, and written minutes of each
such meeting shall be duly filed in the Company's records. In order to foster
open communications, the Committee shall meet periodically with senior
management, the head of the Company's internal audit department and the
independent auditor in separate private sessions to discuss any matters that the
Audit Committee or any such persons believe appropriate.

RELATIONSHIP WITH INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

     The Audit Committee shall have the sole authority to appoint and terminate
the Company's independent auditor, which shall report directly to the Audit
Committee. The Audit Committee shall be directly responsible for the
compensation (including as to fees and terms) and oversight of the work of the
Company's independent auditor (including resolution of disagreements between
management and the independent auditor regarding financial reporting) for the
purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or related work. All

                                                                              19


auditing services and permitted non-audit services performed for the Company by
the independent auditor shall be preapproved by the Audit Committee subject to
applicable laws, rules and regulations. The Audit Committee may form and
delegate to a subcommittee the authority to grant preapprovals with respect to
auditing services and permitted non-auditing services, provided that any such
grant of preapproval shall be reported to the full Audit Committee at its next
meeting.

POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  A. OVERSIGHT OF THE COMPANY'S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND DISCLOSURE PRACTICES

     The Audit Committee shall:

          1) Discuss with management and the independent auditor the Company's
     annual audited financial statements, including the Company's disclosures
     made under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions
     and Results of Operations," and recommend to the Board of Directors whether
     such audited financial statements should be included in the Company's
     annual report on Form 10-K.

          2) Discuss with management and the independent auditor the Company's
     quarterly financial statements, including the Company's disclosures made
     under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and
     Results of Operations."

          3) Review the Company's disclosure controls and procedures and
     internal controls and procedures for financial reporting and the
     certifications required to be made by any officer of the Company in each of
     the Company's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and the Company's annual
     report on Form 10-K (the "Periodic Reports").

          4) Review all reports from the independent auditor pursuant to
     applicable laws, rules and regulations concerning:

             a) all critical accounting policies and practices to be used;

             b) all alternative treatments of financial information within
        generally accepted accounting principles that have been discussed with
        management, ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and
        treatments, and the treatment preferred by the independent auditor; and

             c) other material written communications between the independent
        auditor and management, such as any management letter or schedule of
        unadjusted differences.

          5) Discuss with the independent auditor certain matters related to the
     conduct of the audit pursuant to Statement of Auditing Standards No. 61,
     including any:

             a) Problems or difficulties encountered by the independent auditor
        in the course of the audit work;

             b) Restrictions on the scope of the independent auditor's
        activities or access to information;

             c) Significant disagreements with management;

             d) Communications between the independent auditing team and such
        team's national office with respect to auditing or accounting issues
        presented by the engagement;

             e) Accounting adjustments noted or proposed by the independent
        auditor, but not adopted by the Company; and

             f) Management or internal control letter issued or proposed to be
        issued by the independent auditor and the Company's response to that
        letter.

          6) Discuss generally with management the types of information to be
     disclosed and presentations to be made in connection with the Company's (a)
     issuance of earnings press releases (including the Company's use of "pro
     forma," or "adjusted" non-GAAP information), and (b) disclosure of
     financial information and earnings guidance to analysts and rating
     agencies. The Audit Committee need not

 20


     discuss in advance each earnings release or each instance in which the
     Company may provide earnings guidance.

          7) Discuss the Company's policies and guidelines which govern the
     Company's risk assessment and risk management as well as discuss the
     Company's major financial risk exposures and the steps management has taken
     to monitor and control such exposures.

          8) Review and discuss with management and the independent auditor, as
     it deems necessary or appropriate:

             a) Major issues regarding accounting principles and financial
        statement presentations, including any significant changes in the
        Company's selection or application of accounting principles, and major
        issues as to the adequacy of the Company's internal controls and any
        special audit steps adopted in light of material control deficiencies;

             b) Analyses prepared by management and/or the independent auditor
        setting forth significant financial reporting issues and judgments made
        in connection with the preparation of the financial statements,
        including analyses of the effects of alternative GAAP methods on the
        Company's financial statements; and

             c) The effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives, as well as
        off-balance sheet structures, on the Company's financial statements.

  B. OVERSIGHT OF THE COMPANY'S INDEPENDENT AUDITOR

     The Audit Committee shall:

          1) Obtain and review a report from the independent auditor on at least
     an annual basis describing:

             a) The internal quality-control procedures of such independent
        auditor;

             b) Any material issues raised by the independent auditor's most
        recent internal quality-control review or peer review and any steps
        taken to deal with such issues;

             c) Any material issues raised by any inquiry or investigation by
        governmental or professional authorities, within the preceding five
        years, with respect to one or more independent audits carried out by the
        independent auditor and any steps taken to deal with such issues; and

             d) All relationships between the independent auditor and the
        Company.

          2) Evaluate the qualifications, performance and independence of the
     independent auditor, taking into account the foregoing report, the services
     provided by the independent auditor and the opinions of management and the
     Company's internal auditors, and report such conclusions to the Board of
     Directors.

          3) Evaluate the lead (or coordinating) audit partner having primary
     responsibility for the audit, taking into account the opinions of
     management and the Company's internal auditors.

          4) Ensure the required rotation of the lead (or coordinating) audit
     partner having primary responsibility for the audit and the audit partner
     responsible for reviewing the independent audit, and consider whether it is
     appropriate or necessary, in order to assure continuing independence, to
     rotate the Company's independent auditor on a regular basis.

          5) Establish Company hiring policies with respect to the employment of
     current and former employees of the independent auditor who were engaged on
     the Company's account.

          6) Review and discuss with management and the independent auditor the
     proposed plan and overall scope of the Company's annual audit.

                                                                              21


  C. OVERSIGHT OF THE COMPANY'S INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION

     The Audit Committee shall:

          1) Review the activities of the internal audit department, including
     the proposed annual audit plan, periodic progress reports on the status of
     the plan and all concluded internal audits, including summaries of any
     significant issues raised during the performance of the internal audits.

          2) Discuss with management and the independent auditor the
     responsibilities, budget and staffing of the internal audit department and
     any recommended changes in the planning and scope of the Company's annual
     internal audit plan.

          3) Approve in advance the retention and the dismissal of the head of
     the internal audit department.

  D. OVERSIGHT OF THE COMPANY'S COMPLIANCE WITH LEGAL AND REGULATORY
  REQUIREMENTS

     The Audit Committee shall:

          1) Obtain assurance from the independent auditor that the Company is
     in compliance with the provisions of Section 10A of the Securities Exchange
     Act of 1934, as amended.

          2) Review with management and the independent auditors the Company's
     Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the "Code of Conduct"), which
     prohibits unethical or illegal activities by the Company's directors,
     officers and employees, as well as review the actions taken to monitor
     compliance with the Code of Conduct.

          3) Approve any proposed waivers for directors or executive officers
     and review any material waivers for non-executive officers or employees
     granted by the Company's Senior Vice President, Law and Administration or
     the Vice President and General Counsel pursuant to the Company's Code of
     Conduct.

          4) Review with management, the independent auditor and the Company's
     counsel any legal, regulatory and environmental matters that may have a
     material impact on the Company's financial statements or accounting
     policies.

          5) Establish procedures for the (a) receipt, retention and treatment
     of complaints received by the Company regarding the Company's accounting,
     internal accounting controls or auditing matters, and (b) confidential,
     anonymous submission by Company employees of concerns regarding
     questionable accounting or auditing matters.

          6) Review and assess compliance with all applicable laws, rules and
     regulations, including those of the Securities and Exchange Commission and
     the New York Stock Exchange, specifically applicable to the composition and
     responsibilities of the Audit Committee.

ADDITIONAL POWERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

     The Audit Committee shall have the authority to engage and obtain advice
and assistance from advisors, including independent or outside legal counsel and
accountants, as it determines is necessary or appropriate to carry out its
duties. All related fees and costs of such advisors shall be paid promptly by
the Company in accordance with its normal business practices.

     The Audit Committee shall, on an annual basis, review and reassess the
adequacy of this Charter and conduct an evaluation of the Audit Committee's own
performance during such past year.

     The Audit Committee shall perform such other activities as the Audit
Committee or the Board of Directors may from time to time deem necessary or
appropriate.

 22


[BURLINGTON RESOURCES LOGO]



March 21, 2003


To our Stockholders:

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of
Burlington Resources Inc. to be held at 9:00 a.m., local time, on Wednesday,
April 23, 2003, in the Ambassador Room of The St. Regis Hotel, 1919 Briar Oaks
Lane, Houston, Texas. Detailed information about the meeting is contained in the
accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement.

Regardless of whether you plan to attend the meeting, it is important that your
shares be voted. The Company has Internet and telephone voting options for your
convenience. We ask that you vote as soon as possible, by using either the
Internet or telephone options or by signing and returning your proxy by mail in
the envelope provided.

Sincerely,

/s/ BOBBY S. SHACKOULS

Bobby S. Shackouls
Chairman of the Board,
President and Chief Executive Officer

[0332 - BURLINGTON RESOURCES] [FILE NAME: ZBRL72.ELX] [LOGO: ZBRLRS]
[SIGN:ZBRSIG] [VERSION - (4)] {03/07/03] [ORIG. 02/06/03]



         DETACH HERE IF YOU ARE RETURNING YOUR PROXY CARD BY MAIL         ZBRL72


                                      PROXY

                       SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

            BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC. ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

                                 APRIL 23, 2003


     The undersigned hereby appoints Bobby S. Shackouls and L. David Hanower,
and each or either of them, with full power of substitution, as the proxy or the
proxies (the "Proxies") of the undersigned to represent and vote, as designated,
all of the shares of stock of the Company which the undersigned may be entitled
to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held in the Ambassador Room,
The St. Regis Hotel, 1919 Briar Oaks Lane, Houston, Texas on April 23, 2003 at
9:00 a.m. local time, and at any adjournment or postponement of such meeting
with all powers which the undersigned would possess if present at such Annual
Meeting. In the election of directors, this proxy will be voted in accordance
with the specifications so made on the reverse side. If no direction is given,
this proxy will be voted FOR Proposal 1. Said proxies shall have discretionary
authority as to any other matters that may properly come before the meeting, in
accordance with and as described in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
and Proxy Statement.



-----------                                                          -----------
SEE REVERSE    (IMPORTANT-TO BE SIGNED AND DATED ON REVERSE SIDE)    SEE REVERSE
    SIDE                                                                 SIDE
-----------                                                          -----------


[BURLINGTON RESOURCES LOGO]
C/O EQUISERVE TRUST COMPANY N.A.
P.O. Box 8694
EDISON, NJ 08818-8694



                                                                


                                                   VOTER CONTROL NUMBER

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

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

                                     YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. PLEASE VOTE IMMEDIATELY.


VOTE-BY-INTERNET    [COMPUTER GRAPHIC]                  OR              VOTE-BY-TELEPHONE    [TELEPHONE GRAPHIC]

1. Log on to the Internet and go to                                     1. Call toll-free
   http://www.eproxyvote.com/br                                            1-877-PRX-VOTE(1-877-779-8683)

2. Enter your Voter Control Number listed above                         2. Enter your Voter Control Number listed above and
   and follow the easy steps outlined on the secured                       follow the easy recorded instructions.
   website.

                                        If you vote over the Internet or by telephone,
                                                  please do not mail your card.


       [0332 - BURLINGTON RESOURSES] [FILE NAME: ZBRL71.ELX][LOGO-ZBRLRS][VERSION - (3)] [02/26/03] [ORIG. 02/06/03]

                                    DETACH HERE IF YOU ARE RETURNING YOUR PROXY CARD BY MAIL                                 ZBRL71


        PLEASE MARK
[X]     VOTES AS IN
        THIS EXAMPLE.


THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR PROPOSAL

1.  Elections of Directors.

    NOMINEES: (01) R.V. Anderson, (02) L.I. Grant, (03) R.J. Harding,
              (04) J.T. LaMacchia, (05) J.F. McDonald, (06) K.W. Orce,
              (07) D.M. Roberts, (08) J.F. Schwarz, (09) W. Scott, Jr.,
              (10) B.S. Shackouls and (11) W.E. Wade, Jr.

                          FOR  [ ]              [ ] WITHHELD

[ ]
   --------------------------------------
   For all nominees except as noted above

                                                                               MARK HERE FOR ADDRESS CHANGE AND NOTE AT LEFT   [ ]

                                                                                                      MARK HERE FOR COMMENTS   [ ]

                                                                               Please sign exactly as your name appears. If acting
                                                                               as attorney, executor, trustee or in other
                                                                               representative capacity, sign name and title. Joint
                                                                               owners should each sign.



Signature:                                  Date:                   Signature:                                   Date:
         --------------------------------        ------------------           ---------------------------------         -----------



                                         [BURLINGTON RESOURCES LOGO]

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


                                               
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT                            NOTICE OF
YOUR MANAGEMENT WILL APPRECIATE THE PROMPT        ANNUAL MEETING
RETURN OF YOUR SIGNED PROXY SO THE SHARES YOU     OF STOCKHOLDERS
OWN WILL BE REPRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF  AND
STOCKHOLDERS.                                     PROXY STATEMENT


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

                                             TO BE HELD IN THE AMBASSADOR ROOM,
                                             THE ST. REGIS HOTEL,
                                             1919 BRIAR OAKS LANE
                                             HOUSTON, TEXAS
                                             APRIL 23, 2003
                                             9:00 A.M.

                                                                       332-PS-02