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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-01-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000880115</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CLAYTON WILLIAMS ENERGY INC /DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CWEI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001329021</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Clajon Holding CORP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6 DESTA DRIVE, SUITE 6500</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>MIDLAND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>79705</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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                <value>Common Stock, $.10 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
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            </transactionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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            <transactionDate>
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                <transactionShares>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionShares>
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                    <value>A</value>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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            <transactionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>266</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>52.41</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4280361</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.10 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-01-20</value>
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            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>52.43</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4280861</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.10 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-01-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>700</value>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>52.45</value>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
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            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
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            <transactionAmounts>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>52.51</value>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                <value>Common Stock, $.10 par value</value>
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            <transactionDate>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>52.57</value>
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                    <value>A</value>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4282261</value>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                <value>Common Stock, $.10 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-01-20</value>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>300</value>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>52.58</value>
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                    <value>A</value>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                <transactionShares>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                    <value>A</value>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-01-20</value>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>52.60</value>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4282761</value>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
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                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.10 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-01-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>94</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>52.87</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4282855</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.10 par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-01-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>52.88</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4282955</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares are owned by Clayton Williams Partnership, Ltd., a family limited partnership (4,088,171 shares) and CWPLCO, Inc. (194,784 shares).  CWPLCO, Inc. is the wholly owned subsidiary of the reporting person and is the sole general partner of Clayton Williams Partnership, Ltd.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Clajon Holding Corporation by L. Paul Latham, Vice President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-01-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
