<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000797468-07-000150
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20071206
<FILING-DATE>20071207
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20071207
<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>LIENERT JAMES M
<CIK>0001282795
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-09210
<FILM-NUMBER>071293853
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>OCCIDENTAL CHEMICAL CORP
<STREET2>5005 LBJ FREEWAY
<CITY>DALLAS
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75244
<PHONE>9724044860
</BUSINESS-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>2007-12-06</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001282795</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LIENERT JAMES M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION</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, Finance and Planning</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-12-06</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>33230</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>72.2222</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>44778</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price reported is an average sales price.  700 shares were sold at $72.03; 900 shares were sold at $72.06; 200 shares were sold at $72.07; 2,200 shares were sold at $72.08; 1,900 shares were sold at $72.09; 3,000 shares were sold at $72.10; 500 shares were sold at $72.11; 500 shares were sold at $72.12; 500 shares were sold at $72.13; 100 shares were sold at $72.14; 400 shares were sold at $72.15; 100 shares were sold at $72.18; 1,000 shares were sold at $72.19; 900 shares were sold at $72.21; 1,230 shares were sold at $72.22; 500 shares were sold at $72.23; 400 shares were sold at $72.24; 4,400 shares were sold at $72.25; 200 shares were sold at $72.26; 4,000 shares were sold at $72.28; 600 shares were sold at $72.30; 2,749 shares were sold at $72.31; 1,100 shares were sold at $72.32; 600 shares were sold at $72.33; 900 shares were sold at $72.34; 500 shares were sold at $72.35; 1,100 shares were sold at $72.36; and 1,000 shares were sold at $72.37.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">An additional 400 shares were sold at $72.38; and 651 shares were sold at $72.40.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ CHRISTEL H. PAULI, Attorney-in-Fact for James M. Lienert</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-12-07</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
