-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
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,
 EZHZ8rspmkS/tWrjnjdiUoyw1PzP4zeOyt1skUrBuj5DfMOU2c9E6PL3Eyt9sKRI
 sy2Fcy8ZIII/qEQxulOKAg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001177420-03-000006.txt : 20030515
<SEC-HEADER>0001177420-03-000006.hdr.sgml : 20030515
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030515154050
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001177420-03-000006
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030514
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030515

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HANOWER L DAVID
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001177420

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09971
		FILM NUMBER:		03704774

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC
		STREET 2:		5051 WESTHEIMER #1400
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77056
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7136249500

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000833320
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311]
		IRS NUMBER:				911413284
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5051 WESTHEIMER
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1400
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77056
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7136249500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		5051 WESTHEIMER
		STREET 2:		STE 1400
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77056
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-14</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000833320</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>BR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001177420</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HANOWER L DAVID</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Sr. VP, Law &amp; Administration </officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2200</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>44.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>29351</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natu
reOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2200</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>50.39</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>27151</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2
003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2400</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>44.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>29551</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equit
ySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2400</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>50.39</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>27151</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy) </value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>44.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts
><transactionShares><value>2200</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1994-12-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-12-07</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2200</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>44.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value
>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2400</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1994-12-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2003-12-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2400</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNa
ture></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The number of Indirect Securities Beneficially Owned is 991 shares.  This number indicates an  increase of 47 shares in the BR Inc. Retirement Savings Plan (401 (k) Plan)  between April 30, 2003 and May 14, 2003.  This plan uses unit accounting to track fund balances. </footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>L. David Hanhower </signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-15</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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