-----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,
 Wq2oVoT0bMrRI4/RHsS2cCOf6pMZsFj5fVrP0NXFHGrShBNUyXaBviF8FEoqn0Tw
 XdkDGyPiqeuWE+QiJt1snw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000095304-04-000018.txt : 20040108
<SEC-HEADER>0000095304-04-000018.hdr.sgml : 20040108
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040108171118
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000095304-04-000018
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040108
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040108

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HOFMANN THOMAS W
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001174597

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-06841
		FILM NUMBER:		04516056

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1801 MARKET STREET
		CITY:			PHILADELPHIA
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			19103-1699

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SUNOCO INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000095304
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PETROLEUM REFINING [2911]
		IRS NUMBER:				231743282
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			PA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		TEN PENN CENTER
		STREET 2:		1801 MARKET ST
		CITY:			PHILADELPHIA
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			19103-1699
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2159773000

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	SUN CO INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	SUN OIL CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19760608
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001174597d20040108f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-08</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000095304</issuerCik><issuerName>SUNOCO INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>SUN</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001174597</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>HOFMANN THOMAS W</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>1801 MARKET STREET</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>PHILADELPHIA</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>19103-1699</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Sr. V.P. &amp; Chief Fin. Officer</officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportin
gOwner><nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock Unit</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-08</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>D</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2670</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>51.37</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2670</value></unde
rlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>4000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Settlement in transaction exempt under Rule 16b-3 of common stock units granted on December 6, 2000 under the Sunoco, Inc. Long-Term Performance Enhancement Plan ("LTPEP").  Payout in cash of these common stock units was at 150 percent of original grant, and these common stock units provided for vesting upon issuer's common stock achieving a pre-determined market price per share.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ John J. DiRocco, Jr., Attorney-in-fact for</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-08</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----