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 *
VA PARTNERS LLC
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SEITEL INC [SELA]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director __X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
435 PACIFIC AVENUE, FOURTH FLOOR
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
05/03/2005
(Street)

SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
___ Form filed by One Reporting Person
_X_ 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
Common Stock par value $.01 per share 05/03/2005   P   451,500 A $ 1.28 27,623,363 I See Footnotes (1) (2)
Common Stock par value $.01 per share 05/05/2005   P   550,000 A $ 1.3 28,173,363 I See Footnotes (1) (2)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
VA PARTNERS LLC
435 PACIFIC AVENUE
FOURTH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133
    X    
UBBEN JEFFREY W
435 PACIFIC AVENUE, FOURTH FLOOR
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133
    X    
KAMIN PETER H
TWO INTERNATIONAL PLACE, 25TH FLOOR
BOSTON, MA 02110
    X    

Signatures

 VALUEACT CAPITAL MASTER FUND, L.P., BY VA PARTNERS, L.L.C., ITS GENERAL PARTNER, By: /s/ George F. Hamel, Jr.   05/05/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 VALUEACT CAPITAL PARTNERS CO-INVESTORS, L.P., BY VA PARTNERS, L.L.C., ITS GENERAL PARTNER, By: /s/ George F. Hamel, Jr.   05/05/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 VA PARTNERS, L.L.C., By: /s/ George F. Hamel, Jr.   05/05/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 By: /s/ Jeffrey W. Ubben   05/05/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 By: /s/ George F. Hamel, Jr.   05/05/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

 By: /s/ Peter H. Kamin   05/05/2005
**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) As General Partner of ValueAct Capital Master Fund, L.P., and ValueAct Capital Partners Co-Investors, L.P.
(2) The reported stock is owned directly by ValueAct Capital Master Fund, L.P., and ValueAct Capital Partners Co-Investors, L.P. and indirectly by VA Partners, LLC as general partner of ValueAct Capital Master Fund, L.P. and ValueAct Capital Partners Co-Investors, L.P. Jeffrey W. Ubben, Peter H. Kamin and George F. Hamel are Managing Members of VA Partners, LLC, the General Partner. The reporting persons disclaim beneficial ownership of the reported stock except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.
 
Remarks:
Joint Filer Information

Name: ValueAct Capital Master Fund, L.P.
Address: 435 Pacific Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA  94133
Designated Filer: VA Partners, L.L.C.
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Seitel, Inc. (SELA)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: May 3, 2005

Name: ValueAct Capital Partners Co-Investors, L.P.
Address: 435 Pacific Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA  94133
Designated Filer: VA Partners, L.L.C.
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Seitel, Inc. (SELA)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: May 3, 2005

Name: Jeffrey W. Ubben
Address: 435 Pacific Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA  94133
Designated Filer: VA Partners, L.L.C.
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Seitel, Inc. (SELA)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: May 3, 2005

Name: George F. Hamel, Jr.
Address: 435 Pacific Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA  94133
Designated Filer: VA Partners, L.L.C.
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Seitel, Inc. (SELA)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: May 3, 2005

Name: Peter H. Kamin
Address: Two International Place, 25th Floor, Boston, MA 02110
Designated Filer: VA Partners, L.L.C.
Issuer and Ticker Symbol: Seitel, Inc. (SELA)
Date of Event Requiring Statement: May 3, 2005

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