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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: December 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 7.01 REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

     On December 14, 2005, the Company announced that the Board of Directors has
declared  that the  shareholders  of record at the close of business on December
30,  2005 shall be  entitled  to notice of and to vote at the annual  meeting of
shareholders to be held on February 9, 2006 at the Company's  corporate  offices
in Houston, Texas.


     A copy of the press release announcing the Date of Record 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 December 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: December 14, 2005



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                     EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT NO.              DESCRIPTION


EX - 99.1            Press Release dated December 14, 2005




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                                                           EXHIBIT EX. - 99.1


Houston, Texas
14 December 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

     Atwood  Oceanics,  Inc. (a Houston based  International  Offshore  Drilling
Contractor - NYSE:ATW)  announced today that the Board of Directors has declared
that the  shareholders  of record at the close of business on December  30, 2005
shall be entitled to notice of and to vote at the annual meeting of shareholders
to be held on February 9, 2006 at the  Company's  corporate  offices in Houston,
Texas.

     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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