QuickLinks -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document

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

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 orOR 15(d) of ~~the~~The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report ~~(Date of earliest event reported)~~: ~~August~~September 112, 2003

~~EQUITY~~Equity ~~OIL~~Oil ~~COMPANY~~Company (Exact ~~name~~Name of ~~registrant~~Registrant as ~~specified~~Specified in ~~its~~Its ~~charter~~Charter)

Colorado	0-610	87-0129795
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification #)
10 West Broadway, Suite 806 Salt Lake City, UT		84101
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

~~(801)~~10 West Broadway, Suite ~~521-3515 Registrant's~~806, ~~telephone~~Salt ~~number~~Lake City, ~~including~~Utah ~~area~~84101 (Address ~~code~~of Principal Executive Offices, Zip Code)

~~This report~~(801) 521-3515 (Registrant's ~~contains~~Telephone 3Number, ~~pages.~~Including Area Code)

Item 75. ~~Financial~~Other ~~Statements~~Events and ~~Exhibits~~Regulation FD Disclosure.

Equity Oil Company (Nasdaq: EQTY) (the "Company") announced today that it has retained Petrie Parkman & Co. to assist the Company in evaluating strategic ~~Item~~alternatives, 12including a potential merger or sale of the Company. ~~Results~~There can be no assurance that a transaction will be entered into or completed as a result of ~~Operations~~this ~~and~~process. ~~Financial~~The ~~Condition~~press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99. 1.

~~Pursuant~~ ~~to Securities and Exchange Commission Release No. 33-8216 dated March 27, 2003, the following information is being furnished~~ ~~under~~ Item ~~12 of Form 8-K~~7. The information in this Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1 attached hereto, shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and shall not be incorporated by reference into any filing of the company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing. Exhibits

(c)

99.1: Press Release announcing the retention of Petrie Parkman & Co. dated September 12, 2003.

On August 1, 2003, Equity Oil Company issued a press release announcing financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2003 which includes non-GAAP financial measures. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the ~~Registrant~~registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated: August 1, 2003		EQUITY OIL COMPANY
		By:		/s/ PAUL M. DOUGAN Name: Paul M. Dougan Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

		EQUITY OIL COMPANY
		By:		/s/ PAUL M. DOUGAN Paul M. Dougan President and Chief Executive Officer

3Dated: September 12, 2003

Index to Exhibits

99.1: Press Release announcing the retention of Petrie Parkman & Co. dated September 12, 2003.

QuickLinks

Item 5. Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure.

Item 7. Exhibits

SIGNATURES
Index to Exhibits

Filing Compare · EQUITY OIL CO