<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000797468-07-000142
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20071121
<FILING-DATE>20071121
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20071121
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORP /DE/
<CIK>0000797468
<ASSIGNED-SIC>1311
<IRS-NUMBER>954035997
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>10889 WILSHIRE BLVD
<CITY>LOS ANGELES
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>90024
<PHONE>3102088800
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>10889 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD
<CITY>LOS ANGELES
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>90024
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DE BRIER DONALD P
<CIK>0001181258
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-09210
<FILM-NUMBER>071264243
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>3104436289
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORP
<STREET2>10889 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD
<CITY>LOS ANGELES
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>90024
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-11-21</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000797468</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>OXY</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001181258</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DE BRIER DONALD P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORP</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>10889 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90024</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP, GC &amp; Secretary</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-11-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>93576</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>15.565</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>722526</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-11-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>53620</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>73.1</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>668906</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-11-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>39956</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>71.8436</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>628950</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>15.565</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-11-21</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>93576</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-07-16</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>93576</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>200000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price reported is an average sales price.  100 shares were sold at $70.60; 1,400 shares were sold at $70.72; 800 shares were sold at $70.81; 200 shares were sold at $70.82; 400 shares were sold at $70.85; 300 shares were sold at $70.86; 1,200 shares were sold at $70.87; 100 shares were sold at $70.88; 1,400 shares were sold at $70.89; 100 shares were sold at $70.95; 400 shares were sold at $71.05; 100 shares were sold at $71.07; 100 shares were sold at $71.09; 1,400 shares were sold at $71.10; 400 shares were sold at $71.22; 400 shares were sold at $71.24; 500 shares were sold at $71.25; 100 shares were sold at $71.27; 100 shares were sold at $71.28; 100 shares were sold at $71.41; 1,400 shares were sold at $71.42; 1,000 shares were sold at $71.43; 100 shares were sold at $71.45; 900 shares were sold at $71.46; 100 shares were sold at $71.49; 400 shares were sold at $71.52; 100 shares were sold at $71.53; and 400 shares were sold at $71.54.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">An additional 500 shares were sold at $71.55; 400 shares were sold at $71.60; 100 shares were sold at $71.61; 500 shares were sold at $71.65; 1,400 shares were sold at $71.66; 100 shares were sold at $71.67; 100 shares were sold at $71.68; 900 shares were sold at $71.72; 400 shares were sold at $ 71.76; 1,900 shares were sold at $71.80; 400 shares were sold at $71.82; 100 shares were sold at $71.83; 100 shares were sold at $71.86; 1,000 shares were sold at $71.90; 900 shares were sold at $71.91; 100 shares were sold at $71.92; 1,400 shares were sold at $71.95; 100 shares were sold at $71.96; 3,000 shares were sold at $72.00; 100 shares were sold at $72.08; 100 shares were sold at $72.10; 400 shares were sold at $72.11; 100 shares were sold at $72.14; 900 shares were sold at $72.17; 372 shares were sold at $72.21; 100 shares were sold at $72.22; 100 shares were sold at $72.33; and 900 shares were sold at $72.34.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">An additional 900 shares were sold at $72.40; 100 shares were sold at $72.41; 100 shares were sold at $72.56; 900 shares were sold at $72.57; 900 shares were sold at $72.59; 100 shares were sold at $72.61; 100 shares were sold at $72.78; 1,200 shares were sold at $72.79; 100 shares were sold at $72.81; 400 shares were sold at $72.87; 200 shares were sold at $72.91; 200 shares were sold at $72.96; 200 shares were sold at $72.97; 1,500 shares were sold at $72.99; 100 shares were sold at $73.00; 156 shares were sold at $73.03; 1,800 shares were sold at $73.04; and 528 shares were sold at $73.10.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The option vested in three equal annual installments beginning on July 16, 2004.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Christel H. Pauli, Attorney-in-Fact for Donald P. de Brier</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-11-21</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
