Atwood Oceanics, Inc. Announces Public Debt Offering

HOUSTON, Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Atwood Oceanics, Inc. (the "Company") (NYSE: ATW) today announced that it intends to offer, subject to market and other conditions, senior unsecured fixed rate notes. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to reduce outstanding borrowings under its senior secured revolving credit facility.

In connection with the notes offering, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Barclays Capital Inc. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as joint book-running managers. When available, copies of the prospectus may be obtained from:

Atwood Oceanics, Inc. is an international offshore drilling contractor engaged in the drilling and completion of exploratory and developmental oil and natural gas wells. The Company currently owns ten mobile offshore drilling units located in Australia, Southeast Asia, West Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, South America and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, and is constructing an ultra-deepwater semisubmersible, two ultra-deepwater drillships and three high-specification jackups.

The senior notes will be offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 9, 2012. This press release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The offering of these securities will be made only by means of a prospectus.

SOURCE Atwood Oceanics, Inc.