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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,
 TiiPBqkUQSdUO0U5YoCXe13JvDRb0wvlkXbton9ajNNpbgiUDU1mi8KkiHLBiWMP
 pMMLuuvieSdiMm6MLUuXZQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001174816-03-000004.txt : 20031208
<SEC-HEADER>0001174816-03-000004.hdr.sgml : 20031208
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031208171652
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001174816-03-000004
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031205
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031208

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HOFFMAN JERRY V
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001174816

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09735
		FILM NUMBER:		031043084

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BERRY PETROLEUM CO
		STREET 2:		5201 TRUXTUN AVE STE 300
		CITY:			BAKERSFIELD
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			93309
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6616163900

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BERRY PETROLEUM CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000778438
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311]
		IRS NUMBER:				770079387
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5201 TRUXTUN AVENUE,
		STREET 2:		SUITE 300
		CITY:			BAKERSFIELD
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			93309-0640
		BUSINESS PHONE:		661 616-3900

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BERRY PETROLEUM CO
		STREET 2:		5201 TRUXTUN AVENUE, SUITE 300
		CITY:			BAKERSFIELD
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			93309-0640
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-05</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000778438</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BERRY PETROLEUM CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BRY</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001174816</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOFFMAN JERRY V</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BERRY PETROLEUM COMPANY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>5201 TRUXTUN AVE., SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BAKERSFIELD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>93309</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Chairman, President and CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>58800</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonstatutory Stock Option (Right to Buy) NSO</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>14.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1997-12-06</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-12-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class
 A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>120000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>120000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonstatutory Stock Option (Right to Buy) NSO</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>19.375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1998-12-05</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-12-05</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>50000</v
alue></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonstatutory Stock Option (Right to Buy) NSO</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>15.69</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-12-02</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-12-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>75000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>75000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature><
/derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonstatutory Stock Option (Right to Buy) NSO</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.30</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2002-12-07</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-12-07</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>50000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>50000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Nonstatutory Stock Option (Right to Buy) NSO</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.50</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><
value>2003-12-06</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-12-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>25000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>25000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Nonstatutory Stock Option (Right to Buy) NSO</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>19.94</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-12-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></trans
actionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>60000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-12-05</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-12-05</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Class A Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>60000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>60000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Grant of Nonstatutory Stock Option under the Company's 1994 Stock Option Plan in 
a transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3(c).</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Kenneth A. Olson under Power of Attorney on file</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-08</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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