SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, DC  20549

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

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE


                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


       Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):  March 19, 2002

                           HANOVER COMPRESSOR COMPANY

               (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN CHARTER)



                                              
         Delaware                    1-13071            76-0625124
(State or Other Jurisdiction      (Commission File    (IRS Employer
     of Incorporation)               Number)        Identification No.)

    12001 North Houston Rosslyn                                  77086
       Houston, Texas  77086                                  (Zip Code)
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)

      Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (281) 447-8787


Item 5.  Other Events.

See the following press release:

HANOVER COMPRESSOR AND CRYSTATECH SIGN AGREEMENT
TO EXPAND USE OF CRYSTASULF PROCESS FOR TREATING NATURAL GAS

AUSTIN, Texas, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- CrystaTech, Inc., a supplier of process
technology for the energy industry and the exclusive licensor of the
CrystaSulf(SM) process, and Hanover Compressor (NYSE: HC - news), the leading
provider of outsourced natural gas compression services, announced an
engineering, sales, and marketing agreement designed to further expand the
presence of both companies in the global oil and gas industry.

Under the agreement, Hanover will become the exclusive supplier for treating
natural gas in the United States and Canada using the CrystaSulf process, which
removes hazardous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from gas streams. In addition, Hanover
will be a non-exclusive supplier for these applications globally. CrystaTech and
Hanover will jointly conduct sales and marketing efforts, which will include
both direct equipment sales and lease arrangements similar to those used by
Hanover in its other equipment lines. CrystaTech will provide design and
engineering oversight on the systems, and Hanover will perform detailed
engineering and fabrication. Both companies will support startup operations, and
CrystaTech will provide an ongoing chemical supply to customers.

"This agreement combines Hanover's leadership position in packaged and skidded,
field-ready equipment with CrystaTech's CrystaSulf technology," said Michael J.
McGhan, president and chief executive officer of Hanover Compressor. "It
creates a powerful relationship that benefits both companies."

Eric Klasson, president and CEO of CrystaTech, stated: "This combination
enables the more rapid deployment of CrystaSulf within the natural gas industry,
and supports the logical extension of Hanover's successful business model into a
new niche within the industry."

Developed in conjunction with the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and licensed to
CrystaTech, CrystaSulf is a patented chemical process that removes H2S from gas
streams. In the CrystaSulf process, the H2S in the gas is removed by a
proprietary non-aqueous chemical solution and converted into solid sulfur that
can be used in industrial or agricultural applications. Depending on the
application, the clean gas is then ready to be sold or safely emitted.

About CrystaTech

CrystalTech, Inc., headquartered in Austin, Texas, provides process technology
to the energy industry. Its flagship technology, CrystaSulf, was jointly
developed by the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and Radian International.
CrystaTech was formed in May 2000 and purchased Radian's intellectual property
on the process in October 2000. Privately held, CrystaTech is backed by funding
from GTI and other investors. CrystaTech can be reached on the Web at
http://www.crystatech.com.

About Hanover Compressor

Hanover Compressor Company is the global market leader in full service natural
gas compression and a leading provider of service, financing, fabrication and
equipment for contract natural gas handling application. Hanover provides this
equipment on a rental, contract compression, maintenance and acquisition
leaseback basis to natural gas production, processing and transportation
companies that are increasingly seeking outsourcing solutions. Founded in 1990
and a public company since 1997, its customers include premier independent and
major producers and distributors throughout the Western Hemisphere. Hanover
Compressor can be reached on the Web at http://www.hanover-co.com.

Certain matters discussed in this press release are "forward-looking
statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbors from liability established
by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking
statements can generally be identified as such because of the context if the
statement and will include words such as "believes," "anticipates,"
"expects," "estimates," or words of similar import. Such statements that
describe Hanover's future plans, objectives or goals are also forward-looking
statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and
uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those
anticipated as of the date of this press release. The risks and uncertainties
include: the loss of market share through competition, the introduction of
competing technologies by other companies; a prolonged, substantial reduction in
oil and gas process which would cause a decline in the demand for Hanover's
compression and oil and gas production equipment; new governmental safety,
health and environmental regulations which could require Hanover to make
significant capital expenditures; inability to successfully integrate acquired
businesses; and changes or political conditions in the


countries in which Hanover operates. The forward-looking statements included in
this press release are only made as of the date of this press release, and
Hanover undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking
statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. A discussion of these
factors is included in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission.

CrystaSulf is a service mark of CrystaTech, Inc. All other products or services
mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective holders.

  Contact:

  CrystaTech, Inc.
  Curtis Rueter, 303/466-5056
   or
  Hanover Compressor Company
  Craig Wentworth, 918/481-5800


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                         HANOVER COMPRESSOR COMPANY


Date:  March 20, 2002                    By:  /s/ Michael J. McGhan
                                         ----------------------------------

                                         Michael J. McGhan
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer