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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: September 22, 2004



                              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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ITEM 8.01 OTHER EVENTS

     The Company has now  recovered,  transported to Singapore and inspected all
three legs of the ATWOOD BEACON that were damaged, along with the drilling unit,
on July 25, 2004. As previously announced,  the ATWOOD BEACON has been awarded a
contract in Vietnam which is to commence  between January 15 and April 15, 2004.
Based on the current  shipyard  schedule,  the rig should be repaired within the
180 days loss of hire insurance  coverage period and be ready to begin operating
in Vietnam by the end of January,  2005. A copy of the press release  announcing
the expected  timing of the rig commencing the contract in Vietnam is filed with
this Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1


ITEM 9.01 EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT NO.

EX-99.1  Press Release dated September 22, 2004


     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, 2003, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.





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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT NO.                         DESCRIPTION


EX - 99.1            Press Release dated September 22, 2004



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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: September 22, 2004






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                               EXHIBIT EX. - 99.1



              ATWOOD BEACON EXPECTED TO BE REPAIRED BY JANUARY 2005


Houston, Texas
22 September 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


     Atwood  Oceanics,  Inc.  (Houston-based   International  Offshore  Drilling
Contractor - NYSE:  ATW) announced that all three legs of the ATWOOD BEACON that
were  damaged,  along with the  drilling  unit,  on July 25,  2004 have now been
recovered,  transported to Singapore and inspected. As previously announced, the
ATWOOD  BEACON has been  awarded a  contract  in  Vietnam  which is to  commence
between January 15 and April 15, 2005. Based on the current  shipyard  schedule,
the rig should be repaired  within the 180 days loss of hire insurance  coverage
period and be ready to begin operations in Vietnam by the end of January 2005.

     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, 2003, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



                                              Contact:  Jim Holland
                                                     (281) 749-7804





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