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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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) 11/01/2004 (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 11/01/2004   P   38,400 A $ 0.88 18,509,963 I See Footnote (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
KAMIN PETER H TWO INTERNATIONAL PLACE, 25TH FLOOR BOSTON, MA 02110		X
UBBEN JEFFREY W 435 PACIFIC AVENUE, FOURTH FLOOR SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133		X

Signatures

VALUEACT CAPITAL MASTER FUND, L.P., BY VA PARTNERS, L.L.C., ITS GENERAL PARTNER By: /s/ George F. Hamel, Jr. Managing Member		11/03/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
VALUEACT CAPITAL PARTNERS II, L.P., BY VA PARTNERS, L.L.C., ITS GENERAL PARTNER By: /s/ George F. Hamel, Jr. Managing Member		11/03/2004
**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. Managing Member		11/03/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
VA PARTNERS, L.L.C. By: /s/ George F. Hamel, Jr. Managing Member		11/03/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
By: /s/ Jeffrey W. Ubben		11/03/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
By: /s/ George F. Hamel, Jr.		11/03/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date
By: /s/ Peter H. Kamin		11/03/2004
**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., ValueAct Capital Partners II, L.P., and ValueAct Capital Partners Co-Investors, L.P.
(2)	These securities are also beneficially owned by Jeffrey W. Ubben, George F. Hamel, Jr., and Peter H. Kamin as Managing Members, Principal Owners and Controlling Persons of VA Partners, LLC. The reporting persons disclaim beneficial ownership 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: November 1, 2004 Name: ValueAct Capital Partners II, 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: November 1, 2004 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: November 1, 2004 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: November 1, 2004 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: November 1, 2004 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: November 1, 2004

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