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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 6, 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

                                                             ------------

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 September 6, 2005, the Company  announced that the ATWOOD BEACON,  owned
and operated by its wholly owned subsidiary Atwood Oceanics Pacific Limited, has
been  awarded a  twenty-five  (25) month  contract  by Gujarat  State  Petroleum
Corporation Ltd.  ("GSPC") to drill offshore India. The contract  provides for a
dayrate of $113,000 for the first thirteen (13) months and $133,500 for the last
twelve (12)  months,  with a moving rate of $110,000  plus all tow vessels to be
provided by GSPC.  Immediately  upon the rig completing its current  contract in
Vietnam  (estimated  May/June  2006), it will be towed to Singapore by GSPC at a
moving  rate of  $110,000.  Upon  arriving  in  Singapore,  the rig will enter a
shipyard  to  have  its  final  section  of  legs  installed,  which  will  take
approximately  two (2) weeks to complete,  with the downtime  covered by $70,000
per day in  remaining  loss of hire  insurance.  Immediately  upon  leaving  the
shipyard, the rig will be mobilized to India.

     A copy of the press release  announcing the ATWOOD BEACON contract 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 September 6, 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: September 6, 2005



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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT NO.                    DESCRIPTION


EX - 99.1             Press Release dated September 6, 2005




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                                                             EXHIBIT EX. - 99.1

                ATWOOD OCEANICS ANNOUNCES ATWOOD BEACON CONTRACT

Houston, Texas
6 September 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

     Atwood  Oceanics,  Inc.  (Houston  based  International  Offshore  Drilling
Contractor  - NYSE  ATW)  announced  today  that the  ATWOOD  BEACON,  owned and
operated by its wholly owned subsidiary  Atwood Oceanics  Pacific  Limited,  has
been  awarded a  twenty-five  (25) month  contract  by Gujarat  State  Petroleum
Corporation Ltd.  ("GSPC") to drill offshore India. The contract  provides for a
dayrate of $113,000 for the first thirteen (13) months and $133,500 for the last
twelve (12)  months,  with a moving rate of $110,000  plus all tow vessels to be
provided by GSPC.  Immediately  upon the rig completing its current  contract in
Vietnam  (estimated  May/June  2006), it will be towed to Singapore by GSPC at a
moving  rate of  $110,000.  Upon  arriving  in  Singapore,  the rig will enter a
shipyard  to  have  its  final  section  of  legs  installed,  which  will  take
approximately  two (2) weeks to complete,  with the downtime  covered by $70,000
per day in  remaining  loss of hire  insurance.  Immediately  upon  leaving  the
shipyard, the rig will be mobilized to India.



     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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