SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                           --------------------------


                                    FORM 8-K



                                 CURRENT REPORT


                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                     the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934

               Date of Report: (Date of earliest event reported):
                      October 1, 2002 (September 23, 2002)


                           Blue Dolphin Energy Company
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)




        Delaware                       0-15905                    73-1268729
(State of Incorporation)       (Commission File Number)      (IRS Employer
                                                             Identification No.)



                             801 Travis, Suite 2100
                              Houston, Texas 77002
              (Address of Registrant's principal executive offices)

                                 (713) 227-7660
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)




                                (Not Applicable)
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)



ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

         On September  23, 2002,  American  Resources  Offshore,  Inc., a wholly
owned subsidiary of the registrant ("ARO"), entered into a non-binding letter of
intent with Fidelity  Exploration & Production Company ("Fidelity") for the sale
of  substantially  all of ARO's  proved oil and natural gas  reserves  and other
related assets for approximately $2.7 million. The property interests being sold
are located  offshore  Louisiana and Texas in the Gulf of Mexico,  and include 7
offshore lease blocks with non-operated  interests ranging from 1% to 10%. These
properties  accounted for approximately 64% of the registrant's total net proved
reserves  on a  million  cubic  feet  of gas  equivalent  basis,  and 63% of the
discounted  present  value of estimated  future net revenues from proved oil and
gas reserves. Combined with the South Timbalier Block 148 property that was sold
in July 2002, these properties  represented over 99% of the registrant's  proved
reserves at December 31, 2001. The registrant's remaining oil and gas properties
include  working  interests  in 5 leased  offshore  prospects  and  reversionary
working interests in 13 offshore lease blocks.

         The registrant  expects to use the proceeds to meet its working capital
requirements and to acquire other oil and natural gas reserves. The consummation
of this transaction is subject to a number of conditions,  including  Fidelity's
completion of due diligence,  the execution of a definitive agreement by October
14, 2002 and  approvals by the board of directors of the  respective  companies.
There can be no assurance that this transaction will be consummated.




ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

         (a)      Financial Statements

                  None.

         (b)      Pro Forma Information

                  None.

         (c)      Exhibits

                  None.



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                                   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 thereunto duly authorized.


                                                     BLUE DOLPHIN ENERGY COMPANY


Date:  October 1, 2002                               By: /s/ Michael J. Jacobson
                                                         -----------------------
                                                         Michael J. Jacobson
                                                         President




















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