<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-09-17</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001086319</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>GASCO ENERGY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>GSX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001137539</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LOTITO CARMEN J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1600 STOUT STREET, #2000</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DENVER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80202</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>88700</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2003-06-10</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-02-10</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-04-16</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-12-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>50000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.15</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-12-12</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-08-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>75000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>75000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.39</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-09-30</value>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-06-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.99</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2008-05-23</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-01-23</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>12500</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12500</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.80</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-01-18</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-09-18</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-03-15</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-12-15</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Right to Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.52</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-09-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>125000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2010-01-17</value>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-09-17</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>125000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>125000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Granted 50,000 options as compensation.  These options vest over a 2 year period, with 1/6th of the amount vesting every 4 months commencing 6/10/03, and all options expiring 2/10/13.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Granted 50,000 options as compensation.  These options vest over a 2 year period, with 1/6th of the amount vesting every 4 months commencing 4/16/04, and all options expiring 12/16/13.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Granted 75,000 options under the Issuer's 1999 Stock Option Plan.  These options vest over a 2 year period, with 1/6th of the amount vesting every 4 months commencing 12/12/04, and all options expiring 8/12/14.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Granted 100,000 options.  These options vest over a 1 year period, with 25% of the amount vesting each calendar quarter  commencing 9/30/05, and all options expiring 6/9/15.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Granted 12,500 options as compensation.  These options vest over a 2 year period, with 1/6th of the amount vesting every 4 months commencing 5/23/08, and all options expiring 1/23/18.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Granted 100,000 options under the Issuer's 1999 Stock Option Plan.  These options vest over a 2 year period, with 1/6th of the amount vesting every 4 months commencing 1/18/09, and all options expiring 9/18/13.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Granted 25,000 options under Issuer's 1999 Stock Option Plan.  These options vest over a 1 year period, with 1/4 of the amount vesting every 3 months commencing 3/15/09, and all options expiring 12/15/2013.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">These options vest over a 2 year period, with 1/6th of the amount vesting every 4 months commencing 1/17/2010, and all options expiring 9/17/14.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Carmen J. Lotito</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-09-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
