EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT



     This Employment Agreement ("Employment Agreement" effective September 15,

2005, is between Harvest Natural Resources, Inc. (the "Company") and James A.

Edmiston III, a resident of Texas ("Employee"), the terms and conditions of

which are as follows:



          WHEREAS, the Company desires to secure the experience, abilities and

service of Employee by employing the Employee in the position of President and

Chief Executive Officer of the Company upon the terms and conditions specified

herein;



          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises, the terms and

provisions set forth herein, the mutual benefits to be gained by the performance

thereof and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency

of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and Employee agree as follows:



1.   TERM OF EMPLOYMENT.



     Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Employment Agreement,

     the Company agrees to employ Employee and Employee agrees to be employed by

     the Company for the term which started on September 1, 2004 and ends on May

     31, 2007. On May 31, 2007, and on each anniversary thereafter (an

     "Extension Date") the term of this Employment Agreement shall automatically

     be extended for a one-year period unless and until either party has given

     written notice to the other at least one year before any Extension Date

     that it or he wishes to terminate this Employment Agreement as of such

     Extension Date.



2.   POSITION AND DUTIES.



     (a)  Position. Subject to annual election by the Company's Board of

          Directors, effective as of October 1, 2005, Employee's position shall

          be President and Chief Executive Officer of Harvest Natural Resources,

          Inc.



     (b)  Duties and Responsibilities. Employee's duties and responsibilities

          initially shall be those normally associated with Employee's position,

          plus any additional duties and responsibilities the Company initially

          may assign orally or in writing to Employee. Employee shall undertake

          to perform all Employee's duties and responsibilities for the Company

          and its affiliates in good faith and on a full-time basis and shall at

          all times act in the course of Employee's employment under this

          Employment Agreement in the best interest of the Company and the

          Company's affiliates.



     (c)  The Company's Right to Change Position or Duties. Subject to the terms

          of this Employment Agreement, the Company shall have the right, to the

          extent the Company from time to time reasonably deems necessary or

          appropriate, to change Employee's position, or to expand or reduce

          Employee's duties and responsibilities.

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3.   COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS.



     (a)  Base Salary. From the date of this Agreement until October 1, 2005,

          Employees yearly base salary shall be $300,000. Effective as of

          October 1, 2005 and for the remaining term of this Employment

          Agreement, Employee' yearly base salary shall be not less than

          $370,000 US (paid bi-weekly), which yearly base salary shall be

          payable from the Company's Houston offices to Employee in accordance

          with the Company's standard payroll practices and policies, and shall

          be subject to such withholdings as required by U.S. Federal law and

          the State of Texas, or as otherwise permissible under such practices

          or policies. The Company shall annually review Employee's base salary.



     (b)  Annual Bonus. Employee shall be eligible for such annual bonus as may

          be determined by the Human Resources Committee of the Company's Board

          of Directors and the Company's Board of Directors, which bonus shall

          be based on Employee's performance under the guidelines adopted by the

          Company, the Company's overall performance and any special

          circumstances the Human Resources Committee and the Company's Board

          deem appropriate. Any such bonus is to be determined at the discretion

          of the Company's Human Resources Committee and the Company's Board of

          Directors. Employee acknowledges that the Company is not obligated to

          award him any bonus in any year.



     (c)  Employee Benefit Plans. Employee shall be eligible to participate in

          the employee benefit plans, programs and policies maintained by the

          Company for similarly situated employees in accordance with the terms

          and conditions to participate in such plans, programs, and policies as

          in effect from time to time.



     (d)  Stock Options and Restricted Stock. Previously Employee has been

          granted certain stock options and restricted stock pursuant to the

          Company's long-term incentive plans. Except as provided in Section

          4(a), this Employment Agreement neither increases nor decreases the

          number of stock options and shares of restricted stock previously

          granted, nor does it change the terms under which they were granted.

          In addition, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this

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