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                                  UNITED STATES

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

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


                DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED: January 14, 2005


                              ATWOOD OCEANICS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



                         COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 1-13167


        Internal Revenue Service - Employer Identification No. 74-1611874


                15835 Park Ten Place Drive, Houston, Texas, 77084
                                 (281) 749-7800

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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 (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[  ] 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))

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ITEM 8.01 OTHER EVENTS

     On January  14,  2005,  the  Company  announced  that the  SEAHAWK has been
awarded a contract by Amerada Hess Equatorial Guinea, Inc., ("Hess") to work off
the coast of  Equatorial  Guinea for a firm period of 730 days with four options
of 180 days each. The drilling operation is expected to commence between June 1,
2006 and August 31, 2006. The contract  provides for a base operating dayrate of
$68,430,  with a mobilization  fee and other advance  payments of  approximately
$5.5 million.

     The SEAHAWK is currently working for Sarawak Shell Berhad ("Shell") off the
coast  of  Malaysia  on a  drilling  program  that  is  expected  to  extend  to
February/March 2005. Additional work, covering the period between the completion
of the Shell  contract and  mobilization  preparation  for the Hess  contract is
being pursued in Southeast Asia as well as other areas of the world.

     A copy of the press release  announcing the contract awarded to the SEAHAWK
is filed  with  the Form 8-K as  Exhibit  99.1  and is  incorporated  herein  by
reference.


ITEM 9.01 EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT NO.

EX-99.1  Press Release dated January 14, 2005

     Statements  contained  in  this  report  with  respect  to the  future  are
forward-looking  statements.  These statements reflect  management's  reasonable
judgment with respect to future events. Forward-looking statements involve risks
and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated
as a result of various  factors:  the  Company's  dependence  on the oil and gas
industry;  the  risks  involved  in  the  construction  and  repair  of  a  rig;
competition;  operating  risks;  risks  involved  in foreign  operations;  risks
associated  with  possible  disruption in  operations  due to  terrorism;  risks
associated with a possible disruption in operations due to war; and governmental
regulations and environmental  matters. A list of additional risk factors can be
found in the Company's  annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended  September
30, 2004, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


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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.


                              ATWOOD OCEANICS, INC.
                              (Registrant)



                              /s/ James M. Holland
                              James M. Holland
                              Senior Vice President

                              DATE: January 14, 2005



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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT NO.              DESCRIPTION


EX - 99.1       Press Release dated January 14, 2005



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                               EXHIBIT EX. - 99.1

                ATWOOD ANNOUNCES CONTRACT AWARDED TO THE SEAHAWK


Houston, Texas
14 January 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

     Atwood  Oceanics,  Inc.  (Houston-based   International  Offshore  Drilling
Contractor  - NYSE:  ATW)  announced  today that the SEAHAWK has been  awarded a
contract by Amerada Hess Equatorial Guinea, Inc., ("Hess") to work off the coast
of Equatorial Guinea for a firm period of 730 days with four options of 180 days
each.  The drilling  operation is expected to commence  between June 1, 2006 and
August 31, 2006. The contract  provides for a base operating dayrate of $68,430,
with a  mobilization  fee and  other  advance  payments  of  approximately  $5.5
million.

     The SEAHAWK is currently working for Sarawak Shell Berhad ("Shell") off the
coast  of  Malaysia  on a  drilling  program  that  is  expected  to  extend  to
February/March 2005. Additional work, covering the period between the completion
of the Shell  contract and  mobilization  preparation  for the Hess  contract is
being pursued in Southeast Asia as well as other areas of the world.



     Statements  contained  in this  release  with  respect  to the  future  are
forward-looking  statements.  These statements reflect  management's  reasonable
judgment with respect to future events. Forward-looking statements involve risks
and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated
as a result of various  factors;  the  Company's  dependence  on the oil and gas
industry;  the risks  involved in upgrade to the  Company's  rigs;  competition;
operating  risks;  risks involved in foreign  operations;  risks associated with
possible   disruptions  in  operations  due  to  terrorism;   and   governmental
regulations and environmental  matters. A list of additional risk factors can be
found in the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  September
30, 2004, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



                                                       Contact:  Jim Holland
                                                              (281) 749-7804

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