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

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
WATSON ROBERT L G
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ABRAXAS PETROLEUM CORP [AXAS]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President/CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
18803 MEISNER DRIVE
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/05/2009
(Street)

SAN ANTONIO, TX 78258
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
ABRAXAS PETROLEUM COMMON STOCK 10/05/2009   A   204,879 A (1) (3) 1,077,579 D  
ABRAXAS PETROLEUM COMMON STOCK               26,867 I 401-K

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option $ 1.75 10/05/2009   A   267,750   10/05/2010 10/05/2019 Abraxas Common Stock 267,750 (2) (3) 267,750 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 0.99               (4) 03/17/2019 Abraxas Common Stock 125,000   125,000 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 3.6             08/28/2011 08/28/2017 Abraxas Common Stock 41,624   41,624 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 4.59             09/13/2009 09/13/2015 Abraxas Common Stock 100,000   100,000 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 0.65             11/22/2006 11/22/2012 Abraxas Common Stock 90,000   90,000 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 2.21             09/17/2005 09/17/2011 Abraxas Common Stock 6,857   6,857 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 0.66             09/17/2005 09/17/2011 Abraxas Common Stock 6,856   6,856 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 0.66             03/23/2005 03/23/2011 Abraxas Common Stock 14,288   14,288 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 4.83             03/23/2005 03/23/2011 Abraxas Common Stock 14,289   14,289 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 4.83             03/23/2005 03/23/2011 Abraxas Common Stock 15,712   15,712 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 0.66             03/23/2005 03/23/2011 Abraxas Common Stock 15,711   15,711 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 0.66             05/26/2004 05/26/2010 Abraxas Common Stock 60,000   60,000 D  
Employee Stock Option $ 1.38             05/26/2004 05/26/2010 Abraxas Common Stock 60,000   60,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
WATSON ROBERT L G
18803 MEISNER DRIVE
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78258
      President/CEO  

Signatures

 Robert L.G. Watson   10/08/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Received in exchange for 34,714 common units and 6,000 phantom units of Abraxas Energy Partners L.P. in connection with the merger of Abraxas Energy Partners L.P into Abraxas Merger Sub LLC, wholly owned subsidiary of Abraxas Petroleum Corporation (the "Merger"). On the effective date of the Merger, the closing price of Abraxas Petroleum Corporation's common stock was $1.75 per share.
(2) Received in the Merger in exchange for and employee unito option for 63,000 units of Abraxas Energy Partners, L.P.
(3) These securities and options vest over various time periods.
(4) Option vest at 25% per year beginning one year after grant.

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