8-K

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

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

DATE OF REPORT (Date of earliest event reported):  March 16, 2006

ENSCO International Incorporated

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 

  Delaware           1-8097     76-0232579

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

500 North Akard Street
Suite 4300
Dallas, Texas 75201-3331

(Address of Principal Executive Offices and Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (214) 397-3000

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

News release issued by ENSCO International Incorporated dated March 16, 2006

INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT

Item 8.01  Other Events

        Attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of the news release of ENSCO International Incorporated dated March 16, 2006 entitled "ENSCO International Announces Stock Repurchase Program".

Item 9.01  Financial Statements and Exhibits

        (d)  Exhibits

       Exhibit No. Description                                                                                     

       99.1 News release issued by ENSCO International Incorporated dated March 16, 2006 entitled "ENSCO International Announces Stock Repurchase Program"

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SIGNATURES

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

	ENSCO International Incorporated
Date:  March 16, 2006	/s/ H. E. MALONE, JR.                H. E. Malone, Jr.      Vice President
	/s/ DAVID A. ARMOUR                David A. Armour      Controller

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EXHIBIT INDEX

       Exhibit No. Description                                                                                             

       99.1 News release issued by ENSCO International Incorporated dated March 16, 2006 entitled "ENSCO International Announces Stock Repurchase Program"

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EX-99

Exhibit 99.1

NEWS RELEASE

ENSCO INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED

500 North Akard • Suite 4300 • Dallas, Texas 75201-3331
Tel: (214) 397-3000 • Fax: (214) 397-3370 • Web Site: www.enscous.com

ENSCO International Announces Stock Repurchase Program

      Dallas, Texas, March 16, 2006 ... ENSCO International Incorporated (NYSE: ESV) announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to $500 million of ENSCO common stock. Repurchases will generally be made in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, subject to regulatory considerations and market conditions, and will be funded from ENSCO's available cash.

      Carl F. Thorne, ENSCO's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "Given our record financial results in 2005 and favorable prospects for 2006, we believe a meaningful stock repurchase program is timely and in keeping with our long-stated commitment to build value for our stockholders. Reinvestment in our core offshore drilling business remains a top priority and we will continue to pursue opportunistic fleet expansion with emphasis on our 8500 Series^TM ultra-deepwater semisubmersible fleet. We expect that our cash generation capability will be more than sufficient to fund a disciplined fleet expansion program and the announced stock repurchase program."

      Statements contained in this news release that state Company or management intentions, hopes, beliefs, anticipations, expectations or predictions of future events are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include references to the amount and execution of the stock repurchase program and the Company's cash generation expectations. It is important to note that the Company's actual results could differ materially from those projected in such forward-looking statements. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include the following: (i) changes in the price of ENSCO common stock, (ii) the amount of cash available for stock repurchases, (iii) changes in the Company's profitability and cash generation, (iv) changes in demand or prices for oil and natural gas, and (v) the risks described in the Company's SEC Form 10-K for fiscal year 2005 and otherwise from time to time in the Company's SEC filings. Copies of such filings may be obtained by contacting the Company or the SEC.

      The Company disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in Company or management expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

      ENSCO, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, owns and operates a modern fleet of offshore drilling rigs servicing the petroleum industry on a global basis.

Contact: Richard LeBlanc
              214-397-3011