Gary W. Willingham Form 4 NOBLE ENERGY / Gary W. Willingham ownership change

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:	3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:	0.5

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Willingham Gary W.

(Last) (First) (Middle)

1001 NOBLE ENERGY WAY

(Street)

HOUSTON TX 77070

(City) (State) (Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NOBLE ENERGY INC [ NBL ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
Exec. VP Operations

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/30/2016

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock	01/30/2016		F		860(1)	D	$32.37	79,504	D
Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock	01/31/2016		F		769(2)	D	$32.37	78,735	D
Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock	02/01/2016		D		3,778(3)	D	$0	74,957	D
Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock	02/01/2016		F		1,034(4)	D	$31.65	73,923	D
Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock	02/01/2016		A		11,005(5)	A	$0	84,928	D
Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock	02/01/2016		A		22,011(6)	A	$0	106,939	D
Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock								11	I	401(k)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy)	$31.65	02/01/2016		A		68,976		(7)	02/01/2026	Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock	68,976	$0	68,976	D
Phantom Unit	(8)	02/01/2016		A		11,005		02/01/2018	02/01/2018	Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock	11,005	$0	0	D
Phantom Unit	(9)	02/01/2016		A		22,011		02/01/2019	02/01/2019	Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock	22,011	$0	0	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Reflects shares relinquished to Noble Energy, Inc. by the reporting person out of, and to cover estimated tax withholding for, restricted shares granted on January 30, 2015, and vesting on January 30, 2016. The stock price reflected in Table I Column 4 was determined based on "fair market value," defined in the 1992 Stock Option and Restricted Stock Plan, as amended and restated (1992 Plan) for this transaction as the closing trading price of Noble Energy, Inc. common stock on the NYSE on January 29, 2016.

2. Reflects shares relinquished to Noble Energy, Inc. by the reporting person out of, and to cover estimated tax withholding for, restricted shares granted on January 31, 2014, and vesting on January 31, 2016. The stock price reflected in Table I Column 4 was determined based on "fair market value," defined in the 1992 Plan for this transaction as the closing trading price of Noble Energy, Inc. common stock on the NYSE on January 29, 2016.

3. Reflects unvested shares of performance restricted stock granted on February 1, 2013 forfeited to Noble Energy, Inc. on February 1, 2016.

4. Reflects shares relinquished to Noble Energy, Inc. by the reporting person out of, and to cover estimated tax withholding for, restricted shares granted on February 1, 2013, and vesting on February 1, 2016. The stock price reflected in Table I Column 4 was determined based on "fair market value," defined in the 1992 Plan for this transaction as the closing trading price of Noble Energy, Inc. common stock on the NYSE on February 1, 2016.

5. Restricted shares of Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock will vest 80% one year after the date of grant and the remaining 20% two years after the date of grant, granted under the 1992 Plan.

6. Performance restricted stock will vest three years after the date of grant upon, and subject to a formula related to, the Company's achievement of certain levels of total shareholder return (TSR) relative to a pre-determined industry peer group, granted under the 1992 Plan.

7. The option is exercisable in three equal annual installments beginning one year after the date of grant.

8. Each phantom unit is the economic equivalent of one share of Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock to be settled in cash upon vesting and subject to a maximum settlement value of $126.60 per unit plus the equivalent value of accrued and unpaid dividends. Phantom units were granted under the 1992 Plan and will vest 100% two years after the date of grant.

9. Each phantom unit is the economic equivalent of one share of Noble Energy, Inc. Common Stock, to be settled in cash upon vesting and subject to a maximum settlement value of $126.60 per unit plus the equivalent value of accrued and unpaid dividends. Phantom units were granted under the 1992 Plan and will vest three years after the date of grant upon, and subject to a formula related to, the Company's achievement of certain levels of total shareholder return (TSR) relative to a pre-determined industry peer group.

	/s/ Aaron G. Carlson, Attorney-in-Fact	02/02/2016
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.