<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-10-16</periodOfReport>


    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000101594</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>US ENERGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>useg</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001267115</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LARSEN MARK J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>877 N. 81ST W</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RIVERTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>82501</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>President - Rocky Mountain Gas</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>

        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>U.S. Energy Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>15103</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>

        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>U.S. Energy Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4600</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Custodian For Child</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>

        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>U.S. Energy Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>25674</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By ESOP</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>

    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.875</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1998-12-04</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-09-05</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>U.S. Energy Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>27782</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.4</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-01-10</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-01-09</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>U.S. Energy Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>41248</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>3.9</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2001-12-07</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-12-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>U.S. Energy Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.25</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-08-08</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-12-07</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>U.S. Energy Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>44444</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Option</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>2.25</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2002-08-08</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-12-07</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>U.S. Energy Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>52556</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Indirectly held by the reporting person as Custodian over shares held for the children of his brother-in-law, Hal Herron, under the Wyoming Uniform Trasfers to Minors Act.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Consists of shares held in the U.S. Energy Corp. Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the &quot;ESOP&quot;) in an account established for the benefit of the Reporting Person.  The transaction date (12/31/02) reflects USEG's fiscal year end date, which date is used to determine the total number of shares contributed to the ESOP, however, the individual contriution amounts are not available until after audit of the Company's payroll.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Mark J. Larsen</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-10-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

