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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,
 DDJ5ommLcaGpqTgiNUpCSXz0q1uP88PjFmuTCb/j20iMMgdCJicmniautjI/lCW3
 HqdfLbckgxy15YTikMF3FA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001177422-04-000002.txt : 20040123
<SEC-HEADER>0001177422-04-000002.hdr.sgml : 20040123
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040123131219
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001177422-04-000002
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040121
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040123

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			WILLIAMS JOHN A
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001177422

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09971
		FILM NUMBER:		04539925

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

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>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-21</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000833320</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001177422</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WILLIAMS JOHN A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>BURLINGTON RESOURCES INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>5051 WESTHEIMER, SUITE 1400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77056</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior VP, Exploration</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock </value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2004-01-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>7500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>30000</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</va
lue></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>58.715</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1700</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-01-21</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2014-01-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock </value></underlyingSecurityTitle><under
lyingSecurityShares><value>1700</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1700</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>58.715</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>18300</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
</transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-01-21</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2014-01-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock </value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>18300</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>18300</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Performance Share Units</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><footnoteId id="F3"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCo
ding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>9375</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><footnoteId id="F3"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>9375</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>9375</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">These shares were awarded under the Burlington Resources Inc. (BR) 2002 Stock Incentive Plan, are subject to
 restriction on sale or transfer, are not fully vested, and are subject to risk of forfeiture on or before January 21, 2007.    </footnote><footnote id="F2">The number of Indirect Securities Beneficially Owned in the BR Inc. Retirement Savings Plan (401 (k) Plan) is 3,066 shares which includes a decrease of 110 shares between May 8, 2003 and January 21, 2004.  This plan uses unit accounting to track fund balances. </footnote><footnote id="F3">1 for 1.  These units vested under the BR 2001 Performance Share Unit Plan.  The Compensation Committee of BR's Board of Directors may, in its discretion, vest units annually based on the Company's achievement of its strategic, operating and financial objectives.  A cash pay-out of vested units occured on January 21, 2004.      </footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Jeffery P. Monte  Attorney-in-fact </signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-23</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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