UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

PROXY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(a) OF THE SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

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o      Preliminary Proxy Statement
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o      Definitive Proxy Statement
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þ      Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

PRIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

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Ensco and Pride Announce Early
Termination of HSR Waiting Period

LONDON and HOUSTON, TX—(Marketwire — March 31, 2011) — Ensco plc (NYSE: ESV) and Pride International, Inc. (NYSE: PDE) today jointly announced that they have received notice from the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission granting early termination of the waiting period under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (HSR Act), with respect to the proposed merger previously announced on 7 February 2011 pursuant to which Ensco will acquire Pride in a cash and stock transaction. Accordingly, the merger closing condition with respect to the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act has been satisfied. Completion of the merger remains subject to satisfaction or waiver of certain other conditions, including approval by the shareholders of both Ensco an d Pride.

About Ensco

Ensco plc (NYSE: ESV) brings energy to the world as a global provider of offshore drilling services to the petroleum industry. With a fleet of ultra-deepwater semisubmersible and premium jackup drilling rigs, Ensco serves customers with high-quality equipment, a well-trained workforce and a strong record of safety and reliability. To learn more about Ensco, please visit our website at www.enscoplc.com. Ensco plc is an English limited company (England No. 7023598) with its registered office and corporate headquarters located at 6 Chesterfield Gardens, London W1J 5BQ.

About Pride

Pride International, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, operates a fleet of 26 mobile offshore drilling units, consisting primarily of floating rigs (semisubmersibles and drillships) that address deepwater drilling programs around the world. The company has one of the youngest and most technologically advanced deepwater drilling fleets in the offshore industry, with five drillships, including three delivered since the beginning of 2010, six semisubmersible rigs and two managed deepwater rigs. Two additional deepwater drillships are currently under construction with expected deliveries in 2011 and 2013. The company’s fleet also includes six other semisubmersible rigs and seven jackup rigs. Pride International’s floating rig fleet operates primarily offshore Brazil and West Africa where the company has a long-standing presence.

Additional Information

In connection with the proposed merger, Ensco has filed a registration statement including a preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus of Ensco and Pride with the SEC. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF ENSCO AND PRIDE ARE ADVISED TO CAREFULLY READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND PRELIMINARY JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO IT) BECAUSE IT CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRANSACTION, THE PARTIES TO THE TRANSACTION AND THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSACTION. A definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to security holders of Ensco and Pride seeking their approval of the proposed transaction. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus (when available) and other relevant documents filed by Ensco and Pride with the SEC from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Security holders and other interested parties may also obtain, without charge, a copy of the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus (when available) and other relevant documents by directing a request by mail or telephone to either Investor Relations, Ensco plc, 500 N. Akard, Suite 4300, Dallas, Texas 75201, telephone 214-397-3015, or Investor Relations, Pride International, Inc., 5847 San Felipe, Suite 3300, Houston, Texas 77057, telephone 713-789-1400. Copies of the documents filed by Ensco with the SEC are available free of charge on Ensco’s website at www.enscoplc.com under the tab “Investors.” Copies of the documents filed by Pride with the SEC are available free of charge on Pride’s website at

www.prideinternational.com under the tab “Investor Relations.” Security holders may also read and copy any reports, statements and other information filed with the SEC at the SEC public reference room at 100 F Street N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C . 20549. Please call the SEC at (800) 732-0330 or visit the SEC’s website for further information on its public reference room.

Ensco and Pride and their respective directors, executive officers and certain other members of management may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from their respective security holders with respect to the transaction. Information about these persons is set forth in Ensco’s proxy statement relating to its 2010 General Meeting of Shareholders and Pride’s proxy statement relating to its 2010 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, as filed with the SEC on 5 April 2010 and 1 April 2010, respectively, and subsequent statements of changes in beneficial ownership on file with the SEC. Security holders and investors may obtain additional information regarding the interests of such persons, which may be different than those of the respective companies’ security holders generally, by reading the registration statement, definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus (when available) and other relevant documents regarding the transaction filed by Ensco and Pride with the SE C.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements regarding planned shipyard projects and expected shipyard deliveries, as well as any other statements that are not historical facts in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions identified above or as disclosed from time to time in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result of these factors, actual results may differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements.

Investor and Media Contact(s):

Ensco plc
Sean O’Neill
Vice President
Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
214-397-3011

Pride International, Inc.
Analyst Contact
Jeffrey L. Chastain
Vice President
Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
713-917-2020

Media Contact
Kate Perez
Director
Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
713-917-2343