-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 Ff1ABfewVTIqExUBcybIlAbGO7GFyK5ozncXnLOskhZ63TbEyyOGjZgtvA1E5/DK
 z0XPyglCTXnZTRJ74pNGjQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-017051.txt : 20030813
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-017051.hdr.sgml : 20030813
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030813213811
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-017051
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030812
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030813

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			STENBUCK NEIL L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001228522

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-09408
		FILM NUMBER:		03843214

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1099 18TH ST
		STREET 2:		STE 400
		CITY:			DENVER
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80202
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3032972100

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PRIMA ENERGY CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000318107
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311]
		IRS NUMBER:				841097578
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1099 18TH STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 400
		CITY:			DENVER
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80202
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3032972100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1099 18TH STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 400
		CITY:			DENVER
		STATE:			CO
		ZIP:			80202
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-12</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000318107</issuerCik><issuerName>PRIMA ENERGY CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>PENG</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001228522</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>STENBUCK NEIL L</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>1099 18TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 400</rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>DENVER</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>80202-1908</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOw
ner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>465</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>ESOP Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>23.04</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-08-12</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>6000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</
value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-08-11</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>30.27</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F2" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-05-15</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>Stock options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>26.38</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-03-18</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>15000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>15000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwne
rship><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock options</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.19</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F1" /></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-12</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>6000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Stock options vest 20% per year over five years.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Stock options vest 33 1/3% per year over three years.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><o
wnerSignature><signatureName>Neil L. Stenbuck</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-13</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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