EXHIBIT 99.1




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NEWS          NOBLE DRILLING CORPORATION
              13135 SOUTH DAIRY ASHFORD, SUITE 800     [NOBLE DRILLING LOGO]
              SUGAR LAND, TX 77478
              PHONE: 281-276-6100 FAX: 281-491-2092
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     NOBLE DRILLING CORPORATION STOCKHOLDERS APPROVE CORPORATE RESTRUCTURING

         SUGAR LAND, Texas, April 25, 2002 - Noble Drilling Corporation ("Noble
Drilling" or the "Company") announced today that its stockholders overwhelmingly
approved a corporate restructuring that will result in Noble Drilling
effectively changing its place of incorporation from Delaware to the Cayman
Islands. Of the 132,135,326 shares outstanding and entitled to vote at today's
2002 annual meeting of stockholders, 110,590,032 shares were voted on the
corporate restructuring. The proposal to adopt the corporate restructuring
passed with 106,694,424 shares voted in favor of the proposal (representing
96.4% of the shares voted on the proposal).

         The restructuring will be accomplished by the merger of an indirect
subsidiary of Noble Corporation, a newly-formed Cayman Islands company, with and
into Noble Drilling. As a result of the merger, Noble Corporation will become
the parent holding company of Noble Drilling and the other companies in the
Noble corporate group, and the stockholders of Noble Drilling will have their
shares of Noble Drilling common stock exchanged for ordinary shares of Noble
Corporation. The merger is scheduled to become effective after the close of
business on April 30, 2002. After completion of the merger, Noble Corporation
and the Noble corporate group will continue to conduct the businesses now
conducted by the Noble corporate group, and the ordinary shares of Noble
Corporation will be listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol "NE," the same symbol under which Noble Drilling is now listed.

         Noble Drilling is a leading provider of diversified services for the
oil and gas industry. Contract drilling services are performed with the
Company's fleet of 53 offshore drilling units located in key markets worldwide.
The Company's fleet of floating deepwater units consists of 13 semisubmersibles
and three dynamically positioned drillships, seven of which are designed to
operate in water depths greater than 5,000 feet. The Company's premium fleet of
34 independent leg, cantilever jackup rigs includes 21 units that operate in
water depths of 300 feet



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and greater, four of which operate in water depths of 360 feet and greater, and
11 units that operate in water depths up to 250 feet. In addition, the Company's
fleet includes three submersible units. Nine of the Company's units are capable
of operating in harsh environments. Over 60 percent of the fleet is currently
deployed in international markets, principally including the North Sea, Brazil,
West Africa, the Middle East, India and Mexico. The Company also provides labor
contract drilling services, well site and project management services, and
engineering services.

         This news release may contain "forward-looking statements" about the
business, financial performance and prospects of the Company. Statements about
the Company's or management's plans, intentions, expectations, beliefs,
estimates, predictions, or similar expressions for the future are
forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that the outcomes of these
forward-looking statements will be realized, and actual results could differ
materially from those expressed as a result of various factors. A discussion of
these factors, including risks and uncertainties, is set forth from time to time
in the Company's filings with the SEC.

         Additional information on Noble Drilling is available via the world
wide web at http://www.noblecorp.com.

NDC-267
4/25/02

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For additional information, contact:
John T. Rynd, Vice President - Investor Relations, Noble Drilling Services Inc.
Noble Drilling Corporation, 281-276-6100




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