-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 KGz40l8sczpup1xZ6qThCwEF3QGeue/b8BQTXxpF25wcOFwEwYxS9ohrnaQlgiBG
 5EJ+UGUfyxWSKm3DNbPTLA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-010098.txt : 20030605
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-010098.hdr.sgml : 20030605
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030605134926
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-010098
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030604
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030605

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			3TEC ENERGY CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000903267
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	CRUDE PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS [1311]
		IRS NUMBER:				631081013
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		700 MILAM STREET
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1100
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77002-2
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7138217100

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MIDDLE BAY OIL CO INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19930504

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HELM LARRY L
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001195351

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-14745
		FILM NUMBER:		03733817

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BANK ONE CORPORATION,
		STREET 2:		1 BANK ONE PLAZA IL1-0027
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60670
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3127324000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BANK ONE CORPORATION,
		STREET 2:		1 BANK ONE PLAZA IL1-0027
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60670
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd9975.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 EXIT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-06-04</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000903267</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>3TEC ENERGY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TTEN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001195351</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HELM LARRY L</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>
<officerTitle></officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-06-04</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>13812</value>
<footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>117402.00</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Disposed of pursuant to a merger agreement between the Issuer and Plains Exploration and Production Company in exchange for $117,402.00 in cash and 11,740 shares of Plains Exploration &amp; Production Company common stock, which had a market value of $11.05 per share on the effective date of the merger.</footnote>
<footnote id="F2">See Footnote 1.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>Larry L. Helm</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-06-04</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


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