<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- - EDGAR Ease Plus 1.0                                   07/25/03  TT    -->
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
   <periodOfReport>2003-11-19</periodOfReport>
   <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001125057</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ENCORE ACQUISITION CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>EAC</issuerTradingSymbol>
   </issuer>
   <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001106607</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JP MORGAN PARTNERS BHCA LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O J.P. MORGAN PARTNERS, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1221 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS 40TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10020</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
         <isDirector>0</isDirector>
         <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
         <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
         <isOther>0</isOther>
      </reportingOwnerRelationship>
   </reportingOwner>
 <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
         <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
         <value>2003-11-19</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
         <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
         <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
         <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionAmounts>
         <transactionShares>
           <value>6000000</value>
         </transactionShares>
         <transactionPricePerShare>
           <value>116265000</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
         </transactionPricePerShare>
         <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
           <value>D</value>
         </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
         <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
           <value>866643</value>
         </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
         <directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <value>I</value>
         </directOrIndirectOwnership>
         <natureOfOwnership>
            <value>(FN 2)</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
         </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
 </nonDerivativeTable>
   <footnotes>
      <footnote id="F1"> The reported securities were sold pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 13, 2003, by and among Encore Acquisition Company (&quot;EAC&quot;), J.P. Morgan Partners (SBIC), LLC (&quot;JPM SBIC&quot;) and Warburg, Pincus Equity Partners, L.P. in connection with a public offering of EAC's shares of Common Stock. JPM SBIC sold 6,000,000 shares of EAC's Common Stock at a price per share of $19.3775 and was issued an over-allotment option for a further 866,643 shares of EAC's Common Stock.</footnote>

      <footnote id="F2"> The amounts shown represent the beneficial ownership of the Issuer's equity securities by JPM SBIC. The Reporting Person is the sole member of JPM SBIC.</footnote>
   </footnotes>
   <ownerSignature>
      <signatureName>/s/Arnold L. Chavkin</signatureName>
      <signatureDate>2003-11-19</signatureDate>
   </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

