PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES COMPANY INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

Exhibit 10.1

PIONEER NATURAL RESOURCES COMPANY

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

This Agreement (“Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the 26th day of August, 2009, by and between Pioneer Natural Resources Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Scott D. Sheffield (“Indemnitee”).

RECITALS

A.        Highly competent and experienced persons are reluctant to serve corporations as directors, executive officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance and indemnification against claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of the Company.

B.        The Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that the inability to attract and retain such persons would be detrimental to the best interests of the Company and its stockholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future.

C.        The Board has also determined that it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company, in addition to purchasing and maintaining directors’ and officers’ liability insurance (or otherwise providing for adequate arrangements of self-insurance), contractually to obligate itself to indemnify such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be adequately protected.

D.        Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that Indemnitee be so indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by law.

E.        Article Twelfth of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company provides for indemnification of directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by law.

In consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

Certain Definitions

As used herein, the following words and terms shall have the following respective meanings (whether singular or plural):

“Acquiring Person” means any Person other than (i) the Company, (ii) any of the Company’s Subsidiaries, (iii) any employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary of the Company or of a Company owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company, or (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary of the Company or of a Company owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

“Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

(i)        The acquisition by any Person of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 40% or more of either (x) the then outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”) or (y) the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”); provided, however, that for purposes of this Subparagraph (i), the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company or (D) any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction which complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of paragraph (iii) below; or

(ii)       Members of the Incumbent Board cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; or

(iii)      Consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or an acquisition of assets of another entity (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common equity and the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or other similar governing body, as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or the entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 40% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common equity of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of such entity except to the extent that such ownership results solely from ownership of the Company that existed prior to the Business Combination and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors or other similar governing body of the entity resulting from

such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or

(iv)      Approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

“Claim” means an actual or threatened claim or request for relief which was, is or may be made by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in, or by reason of any event or occurrence related to, Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.

“Corporate Status” means the status of a person who is, becomes or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or is, becomes or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, partner, member, venturer, proprietor, trustee, employee, agent, fiduciary or similar functionary of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, sole proprietorship, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. For purposes of this Agreement, the Company agrees that Indemnitee’s service on behalf of or with respect to any Subsidiary of the Company shall be deemed to be at the request of the Company.

“DGCL” means the Delaware General Corporation Law and any successor statute thereto, as either of them may from time to time be amended.

“Disinterested Director” with respect to any request by Indemnitee for indemnification hereunder, means a director of the Company who at the time of the vote is not a named defendant or respondent in the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

“Expenses” means all attorneys’ fees and disbursements, retainers, accountant’s fees and disbursements, private investigator fees and disbursements, court costs, transcript costs, fees and expenses of experts, witness fees and expenses, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees and all other disbursements, costs or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending (including affirmative defenses and counterclaims), preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or participating in or preparing to participate in (including on appeal) a Proceeding and all interest or finance charges attributable to any thereof. Should any payments by the Company under this Agreement be determined to be subject to any federal, state or local income or excise tax, “Expenses” shall also include such amounts as are necessary to place Indemnitee in the same after-tax position (after giving effect to all applicable taxes) as Indemnitee would have been in had no such tax been determined to apply to such payments.

“Incumbent Board” means the individuals who, as of the date of this Agreement, constitute the Board and any other individual who becomes a director of the Company after that date and whose election or appointment by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then

comprising the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Incumbent Board.

“Independent Counsel” means a law firm, or a member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither contemporaneously is, nor in the five years theretofore has been, retained to represent: (a) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than as Independent Counsel under this Agreement or similar agreements), (b) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder or (c) the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 5% or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding voting securities (other than, in each such case, with respect to matters concerning the rights of Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.

“Independent Directors” means the directors on the Board that are independent directors as defined in Section 303A of the New York Stock Exchange Listed Company Manual or successor provision, or, if the Company’s common stock is not then quoted on the NYSE, that qualify as independent, disinterested, or a similar term as defined in the rules of the principal securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Company’s common stock is then listed or quoted.

“Person” means any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Sections 13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act).

“Potential Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any Person shall have announced publicly an intention to effect a Change in Control, or commenced any action (such as the commencement of a tender offer for the Company’s Common Stock or the solicitation of proxies for the election of any of the Company’s directors) that, if successful, could reasonably be expected to result in the occurrence of a Change in Control; (ii) the Company enters into an agreement, the consummation of which would constitute a Change in Control; or (iii) any other event occurs which the Board declares to be a Potential Change in Control.

“Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, investigation, inquiry, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, administrative or legislative hearing, or any other proceeding (including, without limitation, any securities laws action, suit, arbitration, alternative dispute resolution mechanism, hearing or procedure) whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative or investigative and whether or not based upon events occurring, or actions taken, before the date hereof, and any appeal in or related to any such action, suit, arbitration, investigation, hearing or proceeding and any inquiry or investigation (including discovery), whether conducted by or in the right of the Company or any other Person,

that Indemnitee in good faith believes could lead to any such action, suit, arbitration, alternative dispute resolution mechanism, hearing or other proceeding or appeal thereof.

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.

“Voting Securities” means any securities that vote generally in the election of directors, in the admission of general partners, or in the selection of any other similar governing body.

ARTICLE II

Services by Indemnitee

Indemnitee is serving as an officer of the Company. Indemnitee may from time to time also agree to serve, as the Company may request from time to time, in another capacity for the Company (including another officer or director position) or as a director, officer, partner, member, venturer, proprietor, trustee, employee, agent, fiduciary or similar functionary of another foreign or domestic corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, sole proprietorship, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. Indemnitee and the Company each acknowledge that they have entered into this Agreement as a means of inducing Indemnitee to serve, or continue to serve, the Company in such capacities. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position or positions (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law). The Company shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in any such position or positions.

ARTICLE III

Indemnification

Section 3.1       General . Subject to the provisions set forth in Article IV, the Company shall indemnify, and advance Expenses to, Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law in effect on the date hereof and to such greater extent as applicable law may hereafter from time to time permit. The other provisions set forth in this Agreement are provided in addition to and as a means of furtherance and implementation of, and not in limitation of, the obligations expressed in this Article III. No requirement, condition to or limitation of any right to indemnification or to advancement of Expenses under this Article III shall in any way limit the rights of Indemnitee under Article VII.

Section 3.2       Additional Indemnity of the Company . Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 3.2 if, by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in, or by reason of any event or occurrence related to, Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee is, was or becomes, or is threatened to be made, a party to, or witness or other participant in any Proceeding. Pursuant to this Section 3.2, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against any and all Expenses, judgments, penalties (including excise or similar taxes), fines and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of any such Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts

paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any Claim, issue or matter therein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations of the Company under this Section 3.2 shall be subject to the condition that no determination (which, in any case in which Independent Counsel is involved, shall be in a form of a written opinion) shall have been made pursuant to Article IV that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law. Nothing in this Section 3.2 shall limit the benefits of Section 3.1, Section 3.3 or any other Section hereunder.

Section 3.3       Advancement of Expenses . The Company shall pay all Expenses reasonably incurred by, or in the case of retainers to be incurred by, or on behalf of Indemnitee (or, if applicable, reimburse Indemnitee for any and all Expenses reasonably incurred by Indemnitee and previously paid by Indemnitee) in connection with any Claim or Proceeding, whether brought by the Company or otherwise, in advance of any determination respecting entitlement to indemnification pursuant to Article IV hereof (and shall continue to pay such Expenses after such determination and until it shall ultimately be determined (in a final adjudication by a court from which there is no further right of appeal or in a final adjudication of an arbitration pursuant to Section 5.1 if Indemnitee elects to seek such arbitration) that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company against such Expenses) within 10 days after the receipt by the Company of a written request from Indemnitee requesting such payment or payments from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding. Any such payment by the Company is referred to in this Agreement as an “Expense Advance.” In connection with any request for an Expense Advance, if requested by the Company, Indemnitee or Indemnitee’s counsel shall also submit an affidavit stating that the Expenses incurred were, or in the case of retainers to be incurred are, reasonably incurred. Any dispute as to the reasonableness of the incurrence of any Expense shall not delay an Expense Advance by the Company, and the Company agrees that any such dispute shall be resolved only upon the disposition or conclusion of the underlying Claim against Indemnitee. Indemnitee hereby undertakes and agrees that Indemnitee will reimburse and repay the Company without interest for any Expense Advances to the extent that it shall ultimately be determined (in a final adjudication by a court from which there is no further right of appeal or in a final adjudication of an arbitration pursuant to Section 5.1 if Indemnitee elects to seek such arbitration) that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company against such Expenses. Indemnitee shall not be required to provide collateral or otherwise secure the undertaking and agreement described in the prior sentence. The Company shall make all advances pursuant to this Section 3.3 without regard to the financial ability of the Indemnitee to make repayment and without regard to the prospect of whether the Indemnitee may ultimately be found to be entitled to indemnification under the provisions of this Agreement.

Section 3.4       Indemnification for Additional Expenses . The Company shall, to the maximum extent permitted by law, indemnify Indemnitee against any and all costs and expenses (of the types described in the definition of Expenses in Article I) and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within two business days of that request) advance those costs and expenses to Indemnitee, that are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any claim asserted against, or action brought by, Indemnitee for (i) indemnification or an Expense Advance by the Company under this Agreement or any other agreement or provision of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws now or hereafter in effect relating to any Claim or Proceeding, (ii) recovery under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, or (iii)

enforcement of, or claims for breaches of, any provision of this Agreement, in each of the foregoing situations regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to that indemnification, advance expense payment, insurance recovery, enforcement, or damage claim, as the case may be and regardless of whether the nature of the proceeding with respect to such matters is judicial, by arbitration, or otherwise.

Section 3.5       Partial Indemnity . If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of the Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties, and amounts paid in settlement of a Claim or Proceeding but not, however, for all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled. Moreover, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any or all Claims or Proceedings, or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred in connection therewith.

ARTICLE IV

Procedure for Determination of Entitlement

to Indemnification

Section 4.1       Request by Indemnitee . To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification. The Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.

Section 4.2       Determination of Request . Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 4.1 hereof, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to whether Indemnitee is permitted under applicable law to be indemnified shall be made in accordance with the terms of Section 4.5, in the specific case as follows:

(a)       If a Potential Change in Control or a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel (selected in accordance with Section 4.3) in a written opinion to the Board and Indemnitee, unless Indemnitee shall request that such determination be made by the Board, or a committee of the Board, in which case by the person or persons or in the manner provided for in clause (i) or (ii) of paragraph (b) below; or

(b)       If a Potential Change in Control or a Change in Control shall not have occurred, (i) by the Board by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors even though less than a quorum of the Board, or (ii) by a majority vote of a committee consisting solely of two or more Disinterested Directors designated to act in the matter by a majority vote of all Disinterested Directors even though less than a quorum of the Board, or (iii)

by Independent Counsel selected by the Board or a committee of the Board by a vote as set forth in clauses (i) or (ii) of this paragraph (b), or if such vote is not obtainable or such a committee cannot be established, by a majority vote of all directors, or (iv) if Indemnitee and the Company agree, by the stockholders of the Company in a vote that excludes the shares held by directors who are not Disinterested Directors.

If it is so determined that Indemnitee is permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within 10 days after such determination. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall require that any determination be made under this Section 4.2 prior to the disposition or conclusion of a Claim or Proceeding against Indemnitee; provided, however, that Expense Advances shall continue to be made by the Company pursuant to, and to the extent required by, the provisions of Article III. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person or persons making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information that is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and that is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person or persons making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification), and the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee therefrom.

Section 4.3       Independent Counsel . If a Potential Change in Control or a Change in Control shall not have occurred and the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by (a) a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board or (b) if there are no Disinterested Directors, by a majority vote of the Board, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee, within 10 days after receipt by the Company of Indemnitee’s request for indemnification, specifying the identity and address of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Potential Change in Control or a Change in Control shall have occurred and the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee, and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company, within 10 days after submission of Indemnitee’s request for indemnification, specifying the identity and address of the Independent Counsel so selected (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Disinterested Directors or a committee of the Board, in which event the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee within 10 days after receipt of Indemnitee’s request for the Board or a committee of the