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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: October 10, 2008

ATWOOD OCEANICS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 1-13167

TEXAS
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

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))

ITEM 7.01 REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

     The ATWOOD SOUTHERN CROSS has commenced its one-well drilling program (at a dayrate of $352,000) for Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd offshore Mauritania which is expected to extend to the end of November or early December 2008. Additional contract opportunities following the completion of the one-well program are currently being pursued.

     The ATWOOD HUNTER is now expected to complete its current drilling program offshore Mauritania in mid-October 2008 and will then immediately commence its mobilization to Eastern Mediterranean Sea for its four (4) year contract commitment with Noble Energy Inc. and Kosmos Energy Ghana at operating dayrates in the $500,000’s.

     During the quarter ended September 30, 2008, the ATWOOD EAGLE incurred a total of six unplanned zero rate days due to equipment issues. This unplanned downtime reduced revenues for the quarter by approximately $2.4 million. Our last Fleet Status Report, dated August 28, 2008, indicated that the SEAHAWK could possibly incur three (3) to five (5) zero rate days during the fourth quarter ended September 30, 2008 for equipment maintenance; however, this maintenance was completed during the quarter with no zero rate days incurred.

Information with respect to the Company’s Fleet Status Report at October 10, 2008 is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1. Such information is being furnished under Regulation FD and should not be deemed to be filed under Section 19 of the Exchange Act.

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 including; the Company's dependence on the oil and gas industry; the risks involved the construction 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 a war with Iraq; 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, 2007, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

ITEM 9.01 EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT 99.1 Fleet Status Report at October 10, 2008

EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT NO. DESCRIPTION

99.1

Fleet Status Report at October 10, 2008

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: October 10, 2008

RIG NAME		RATED WATER DEPTH	LOCATION	CUSTOMER	ESTIMATED CONTRACT END DATE		ESTIMATED CONTRACT DAYRATE	UNAUDITED AVERAGE PER DAY OPERATING COSTS (NOT INCLUDING TAX) FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED AUGUST 31, 2008/MONTH ENDED AUGUST 31, 200 8 ONLY	ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
SEMISUBMERSIBLES:
ATWOOD EAGLE		5000’	Australia	WOODSIDE ENERGY LTD (“WOODSIDE”)	FIRM WORK – (2 years) June 2010		Approximately $405,000	$140,000/$120,000	A portion of the dayrate is subject to some change due to currency exchange rate variance.
			Australia	BHP BILLITON PETROLEUM	FIRM WORK – (One well deferred from previous drilling program which cannot be drilled before January 1, 2009 but must be drilled by the end of calendar year 2009.)		Approximately $170,000 for 35 days and $465,000 thereafter until completion.	N/A
			Australia	CHEVRON AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD. (“CHEVRON”)	FIRM WORK – (Until new semisubmersible arrives in Australia) February/March 2011		$430,000/$450,000	N/A	Subject to change due to cost escalation provisions in the contract.
			Australia	CHEVRON	OPTION WORK – Has option to continue to use rig for a mutually agreed term after the new semisubmersible arrives in Australia.		$405,000/$425,000	N/A	Subject to change due to cost escalation provisions in the contract.
ATWOOD HUNTER		5,000’	Mauritania	PETRONAS CARIGALI SDN. BHD. From Farmout of WOODSIDE CONTRACT	FIRM WORK - Middle of October 2008		$240,000	$80,000/$83,000
			Mobilizing to Eastern Mediterranean Sea	NOBLE ENERGY, INC. (“NOBLE”)	FIRM WORK - November 2008 (Estimated to take 35 days)		$460,000	N/A
			Eastern Mediterranean Sea	NOBLE	FIRM WORK - February/April 2009 (Estimated to take 80 to 160 days)		$511,000	N/A	Subject to change due to cost escalation provisions in the contract.
			Mobilizing to Ghana	KOSMOS ENERGY GHANA HC (“KOSMOS”)	FIRM WORK - March/June 2009 (Estimated to take 55 days)		$460,000	N/A	Subject to change due to cost escalation provisions in the contract.
			Ghana	KOSMOS	FIRM WORK - December 2009/March 2010 (Estimated to take 270 days)		$538,000	N/A	Subject to change due to cost escalation provisions in the contract.
			Other West Africa Designated Areas	NOBLE/KOSMOS	FIRM WORK - October/November 2012		$538,000 to $545,000 while operating and $460,000 during all mobilization periods	N/A	Subject to change due to cost escalation provisions in the contract.
			TBD	N/A	N/A		N/A	N/A	The rig could incur ten (10) zero rate days in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009 for regulatory inspections.
ATWOOD FALCON		5,000’	Malaysia	SARAWAK SHELL BERHAD (“SHELL”)	FIRM WORK – August 2009		$160,000/ plus approximately $24,000 of amortized per day revenue	$67,000/$67,000	The rig could incur 2 to 4 zero rate days during the second quarter of fiscal year 2009 due to required regulatory inspections.
			South China Sea	OPERATOR IN SOUTH CHINA SEA	FIRM WORK – August 2011 (Two years from completion of current firm work which is expected to be August 2009)				Subject to change due to cost escalation provisions in the contract.
ATWOOD SOUTHERN CROSS	2,000’		Mauritania	PETRONAS CARIGALI SDN BHD.	FIRM WORK – November/December 2008 (Drilling Operations Estimated to take 60 to 90 days to complete)		$352,000	$88,000/$88,000	Additional contract opportunities following the completion of this one-well are currently being pursued.
CONVENTIONALLY MOORED SEMISUBMERSIBLE UNDER CONSTRUCTION	6,000’		Under construction in Singapore with Delivery Expected in early 2011 at which time the rig will be mobilized to Australia.	CHEVRON AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.	FIRM WORK – Early 2014 if three-year commitment or early 2017 if six-year commitments. (Contract provides for a commitment of thre e years with option to extend to six years at time of delivery of rig)		$470,000 (if three-year commitment) $450,000 (if six-year commitment)	N/A	Subject to change due to cost escalation provisions in the contract.

CANTILEVER JACK-UPS:
ATWOOD BEACON	400’		India	GUJARAT STATE PETROLEUM CORPORATION LTD (“GSPC”)	FIRM WORK – Completion of well in progress at the end of January 2009		$133,500	$53,000/$58,000
			India	GSPC	OPTION – (1 year)		TBD	N/A
			TBD	N/A	N/A		N/A	N/A		The rig is expected to incur 3 zero rate days during the first quarter of fiscal year 2009 for required regulatory inspections.

VICKSBURG	300’		Thailand	CHEVRON OVERSEAS PETROLEUM	FIRM WORK – June 2009		$154,000	$57,000/$48,000
			TBD	N/A	N/A		N/A	N/A		The rig could incur three (3) to four (4) weeks of zero rate days during the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009 for required maintenance and equipment upgrades.
ATWOOD AURORA	350’		Under Construction at Brownsville, Texas with Delivery Expected end of November 2008 at which Time the Rig will be Mobilized to Egypt	RWE DEA NILE GmbH (“RWE”)	FIRM WORK – February 2011		$165,000/plus approximately $6,000 per day of amortized per day revenue	N/A		Subject to change due to cost escalation provisions in the contract.
			Egypt	RWE	OPTIONS – (1 Year)		TBD	N/A
SEMISUBMERSIBLE TENDER ASSIST UNIT:
SEAHAWK	1,800’		Equatorial Guinea	AMERADA HESS EQUATORIAL GUINEA, INC. (“HESS”)		FIRM WORK – August 2009	$80,000	$74,000/$54, 000		Contract provides for dayrate increases based upon certain cost escalations as well as an approximately $15,000 per day reduction during periods when the rig is being relocated to a new drilling site.
			Equatorial Guinea	HESS		OPTIONS – (2 six-month options) September 2010 (if the two (2) six-month options are exercised)	$76,000	N/A		Dayrate subject to increase due to contract cost escalations.
			Equatorial Guinea	N/A		N/A	N/A	N/A		The rig could incur up to three (3) zero rate days in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009 for required inspection.
SUBMERSIBLE:
RICHMOND	70’		US Gulf of Mexico	CONTANGO OPERATIONS INC. (“CONTANGO”)		FIRM WORK – November 2008	$75,000	$46,000/$48,000
			US Gulf of Mexico	CONTANGO		FIRM WORK – One well February 2009	$78,000	N/A
			US Gulf of Mexico	CONTANGO		OPTION – March 2009	TBD	N/A