-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 RhpeN8SRCc8Kqt2/wWq9jrOtQo4ZFjcLSUT+RHExcLccuqLzNHgNQTUMFM42sT8r
 1LWFutzQ6d4gfwzOw4abRw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000072207-04-000011.txt : 20040105
<SEC-HEADER>0000072207-04-000011.hdr.sgml : 20040105
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040105125716
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000072207-04-000011
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031231
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040105

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HOPPE ALBERT D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001186553

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07964
		FILM NUMBER:		04503004

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		NOBLE ENERGY INC
		STREET 2:		350 GLENBOROUGH DR STE 100
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77067
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2818723353

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NOBLE ENERGY INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000072207
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311]
		IRS NUMBER:				730785597
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		350 GLENBOROUGH
		STREET 2:		SUITE 100
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77067
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2818723100

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		350 GLENBOROUGH
		STREET 2:		SUITE 100
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77067

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	NOBLE AFFILIATES INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20020426

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	NOBLE AFFILIATES INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>f4a100040040105_120301480.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-12-31</periodOfReport>
<dateOfOriginalSubmission>2004-01-02</dateOfOriginalSubmission>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000072207</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NOBLE ENERGY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NBL</issuerTradingSymbol>
</issuer>
<reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001186553</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOPPE ALBERT D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>100 GLENBOROUGH DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 100</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77067</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>SR VP Secretary &amp; Gen. Counsel</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText>
</reportingOwnerRelationship>
</reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeTable>
</nonDerivativeTable>
<derivativeTable>
<derivativeTransaction>
<securityTitle>
<value>Employee Stock Option Grant</value>
</securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>32.54</value>
</conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-12-31</value>
</transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
</transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value>
</transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>9000</value>
</transactionShares>
<transactionPricePerShare>
<value>32.54</value>
</transactionPricePerShare>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value>
</transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2003-02-01</value>
</exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2012-02-01</value>
</expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common</value>
</underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>9000</value>
</underlyingSecurityShares>
</underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>18000</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/>
</sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
</postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value>
</directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value>
</natureOfOwnership>
</ownershipNature>
</derivativeTransaction>
</derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Table II, Line 1, Column 9, was incorrectly shown as 1,800 shares on the Form 4 filed on 1/2/2004 and should have been shown as 18,000 shares.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Hoppe Albert</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate>
</ownerSignature>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Davidson C</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate>
</ownerSignature>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>McElvany James</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2004-01-05</signatureDate>
</ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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