<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>5</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-07-14</periodOfReport>
    <form3HoldingsReported>0</form3HoldingsReported>

    <form4TransactionsReported>1</form4TransactionsReported>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000043350</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ENERGY WEST INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>EWST</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205280</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RUFF GEORGE</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Equivalents</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-03-18</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>101</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>7.40</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>101</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12566</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Equivalents</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-03-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F4"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value>L</value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>204</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>7.55</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>204</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12770</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Equivalents</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-10</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>258</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>5.83</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>258</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13028</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Equivalents</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>125</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>6.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>125</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13153</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Equivalents</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>250</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>6.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>250</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13403</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Equivalents</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-07-11</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>500</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>6.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>13903</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Stock Equivalents accrued under the EWST Directors Deferred Compensation Plan</footnote><footnote id="F2">Convertible to common stock upon termination of service as a director of the Company</footnote><footnote id="F3">Total was incorrectly understated by this amount of Form 4 filed 3/20/2003</footnote><footnote id="F4">Dividend reinvestment was not reported at time of transaction</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/Jamie Bleskin/</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-07-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

