================================================================================
                                  UNITED STATES

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
                                ----------------

                                    Form 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                        PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

               DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED: November 13, 2003


                              ATWOOD OCEANICS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                         COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 1-13167

                TEXAS                                   74-1611874
   (State or other jurisdiction of         (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
   incorporation or organization)

     15835 Park Ten Place Drive                            77084
           Houston, Texas                               (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)

               Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                                  281-749-7800
                                       N/A
        - (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)
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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS


     On November 13, 2003,  the Company  announced  that it had executed a third
amendment to its $250 million Senior Secured Credit  Facility with a Bank Group.
This  amendment  redefines the  calculation  of the covenant  requirement of the
ratio of debt to earnings before  interest,  income taxes and  depreciation  and
increases  the allowed ratio limits for the quarters  ending  December 31, 2003,
March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2003.  A copy of the press  release  announcing  the
execution of this Third  Amendment is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1. The Third
Amendment dated November 12, 2003 is also attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2.


ITEM 7. EXHIBITS


EXHIBIT 99.1     PRESS RELEASE DATED NOVEMBER 13, 2003

EXHIBIT 99.2    THIRD AMENDMENT DATED NOVEMBER 12, 2003








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:    November 13, 2003






                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


EXHIBIT NO.                        DESCRIPTION
-----------                        -----------

99.1                   Press Release dated November 13, 2003

99.2                   Third Amendment dated November 12, 2003






                                                                  EXHIBIT 99.1


Houston, Texas
13 November 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

     Atwood Oceanics,  Inc.,  (Houston-based  International Drilling Contractor,
NYSE: "ATW"), announced today that it has executed a third amendment to its $250
million Senior Secured Credit Facility. This amendment redefines the calculation
of the covenant  requirement of the ratio of debt to earnings  before  interest,
income taxes and  depreciation  and  increases  the allowed ratio limits for the
quarters  ending  December,  31,  2003,  March 31, 2004 and June 30,  2004.  The
current  redefined  allowed ratio limits of debt to earnings,  before  interest,
income taxes and  depreciation  is 5.75 at September 30, 2003,  6.25 at December
31, 2003,  5.50 at March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004,  4.00 at September 30, 2004
and 3.00  thereafter.  The Company is currently in compliance with all financial
covenants.


                                                       Contact:  Jim Holland
                                                              (281) 749-7804











                                                                   EXHIBIT 99.2



                                 THIRD AMENDMENT


     THIRD AMENDMENT (this  "Amendment"),  dated as of November 12, 2003,  among
ATWOOD  OCEANICS,  INC., a Texas  corporation  (the  "Parent"),  ATWOOD OCEANICS
PACIFIC LIMITED,  a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands and a
Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of the Parent (the "Borrower"), the Lenders party to the
Credit  Agreement  (as defined  herein),  and NORDEA BANK  FINLAND PLC, NEW YORK
BRANCH, a national banking association  organized under the laws of the Republic
of Finland,  as  Administrative  Agent (in such  capacity,  the  "Administrative
Agent").  All  capitalized  terms used herein and not otherwise  defined  herein
shall have the respective meanings provided such terms in the Credit Agreement.


                              W I T N E S S E T H :


     WHEREAS, the Parent, the Borrower, the Lenders and the Administrative Agent
are  parties  to a Credit  Agreement,  dated as of  April 1,  2003 (as  amended,
modified or supplemented from time to time, the "Credit Agreement");

     WHEREAS,  the Borrower has requested the Lenders to amend,  and the Lenders
have agreed to amend,  certain  provisions of the Credit  Agreement on the terms
and conditions set forth herein; and

     WHEREAS, the parties hereto wish to amend the Credit Agreement on the terms
and conditions set forth herein;

     NOW, THEREFORE, it is agreed:

     1. The Lenders  hereby  waive any Default or Event of Default that may have
arisen as a result of the  Parent's  failure to comply with  Section 9.07 of the
Credit  Agreement  during the period from the fiscal quarter of the Parent ended
September 30, 2003 to the Third Amendment  Effective Date (as defined below) (as
such Section 9.07 was in effect  immediately  prior to the effectiveness of this
Amendment).

     2. The table  appearing in Section  9.07 of the Credit  Agreement is hereby
deleted in its entirety and the following new table inserted in lieu thereof:



                          "Relevant Period                                      Ratio
                          -----------------                                     -----
                                                                             
    From the Initial Borrowing Date through and including December 30, 2003     5.75:1.00
    From December 31, 2003 through and including March 30, 2004                 6.25:1.00
    From March 31, 2004 through and including September 29, 2004                5.50:1.00
    From September 30, 2004 through and including December 30, 2004             4.00:1.00
    Thereafter                                                                  3.00:1.00".




     3. The  definition  of "Acquired  Entity or Business"  appearing in Section
11.01 of the Credit  Agreement is hereby amended by inserting the following text
at the end of said definition:


     "Notwithstanding  anything to the  contrary  contained  in the  immediately
preceding  sentence,  the acquisition and/or delivery of the ATWOOD BEACON shall
not constitute an Acquired Entity or Business."

     4. The table appearing in the definition of "Applicable  Margin"  appearing
in Section 11.01 of the Credit  Agreement is hereby  deleted in its entirety and
the following new table is inserted in lieu thereof:

            "Level                 Leverage Ratio                 Percentage
             -----                 --------------                 ----------
              6              Greater than 5.00:1.00                  2.875%

              5              Greater than 4.00:1.00 but              2.625%
                            less than or equal to
                            5.00:1.00

              4              Greater than 3.00:1.00 but               2.25%
                            less than or equal to
                            4.00:1.00

              3              Greater than 2.00:1.00 but               2.00%
                            less than or equal to
                            3.00:1.00

              2              Greater than 1.00:1.00 but               1.75%
                            less than or equal to
                            2.00:1.00

              1              Less than or equal to                  1.50%".
                            1.00:1.00



     5. The definition of  "Consolidated  EBITDA"  appearing in Section 11.01 of
the  Credit  Agreement  is  hereby  amended  by (i)  inserting  the  text  "(x)"
immediately  following the text  "understood  that" appearing in said definition
and (ii) inserting the following text immediately preceding the period appearing
at the end of said definition:

     "and (y) in  determining  compliance  with  Section  9.07 only,  and in any
event,  not for purposes of  calculating  the  Applicable  Margin,  Consolidated
EBITDA shall be calculated by adding thereto the amount, (i) for the Test Period
ending on September  30, 2003,  $7,837,890,  (ii) for the Test Period  ending on
December 30,  2003,  $5,473,674,  (iii) for the Test Period  ending on March 31,
2004,  $3,160,854  and  (iv)  for the  Test  Period  ending  on June  30,  2004,
$796,638".

     6. The definition of "Consolidated Indebtedness" appearing in Section 11.01
of the Credit  Agreement  is hereby  amended by  inserting  the  following  text
immediately  preceding  the  period  appearing  at the  end of  said  definition
thereof:

     "; it being  understood  that in determining  compliance  with Section 9.07
only, and in any event,  not for purposes of calculating the Applicable  Margin,
at the date of such  determination of Consolidated  Indebtedness,  the amount of
cash and Cash  Equivalents  held by the Parent and its Subsidiaries at such time
and which would  appear on a  consolidated  balance  sheet of the Parent and its
Subsidiaries  as  part  of  the  consolidated  assets  of  the  Parent  and  its
Subsidiaries   shall  be  deducted   from  the   calculation   of   Consolidated
Indebtedness".

     7. In order to induce the Lenders to enter into this Amendment,  the Parent
and the Borrower hereby represent and warrant that (i) the  representations  and
warranties  contained in Section 7 of the Credit  Agreement are true and correct
in all material  respects on and as of the Third Amendment  Effective Date, both
before and after giving effect to this Amendment (it being understood and agreed
that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of a specified
date shall be required to be true and correct in all material  respects  only as
of such specified date), and (ii) there exists no Default or Event of Default on
the Third Amendment Effective Date, after giving effect to this Amendment.

     8. This  Amendment  is  limited as  specified  and shall not  constitute  a
modification,  acceptance  or  waiver  of any  other  provision  of  the  Credit
Agreement or any other Credit Document.

     9. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts  and by the
different parties hereto on separate  counterparts,  each of which  counterparts
when  executed  and  delivered  shall be an  original,  but all of  which  shall
together constitute one and the same instrument.  A complete set of counterparts
shall be lodged with the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

     10. THIS AMENDMENT AND THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES  HEREUNDER
SHALL BE  CONSTRUED IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH AND GOVERNED BY THE LAW OF THE STATE OF
NEW YORK.

     11. This Amendment shall become effective (the "Third  Amendment  Effective
Date") on the date when (i) the Parent,  the Borrower  and the Required  Lenders
shall  have  signed  a  counterpart   hereof  (whether  the  same  or  different
counterparts)   and  shall  have  delivered   (including  by  way  of  facsimile
transmission) the same to the Administrative Agent at the Notice Office and (ii)
the Borrower shall have paid to the Administrative Agent for the account of each
Lender  that  has  executed  a  counterpart  hereof  and  delivered  same to the
Administrative  Agent at the  Notice  Office on or prior to 5:00 P.M.  (New York
time) on November  12, 2003,  an amendment  fee equal to 0.15% of the sum of (I)
such  Lender's  outstanding  Term Loans and (II) such  Lender's  Revolving  Loan
Commitment, in each case as in effect on the Third Amendment Effective Date.

     12. From and after the Third  Amendment  Effective  Date, all references in
the Credit  Agreement and each of the Credit  Documents to the Credit  Agreement
shall be deemed to be references to the Credit Agreement as amended, modified or
supplemented hereby.










     IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties hereto have caused their duly  authorized
officers  to execute  and  deliver  this  Agreement  as of the date first  above
written.




Address:

15835 Park Ten Place Drive                   ATWOOD OCEANICS, INC.,
Houston, Texas  77084
Attention:  James M. Holland                 as Parent and Guarantor
Tel.No.:(281) 749-7800
Fax No.:(281) 492-0345

                                             By:  /s/ James M. Holland
                                                  Name: James M. Holland
                                                  Title:   Senior Vice President


332A-11C, 11th Floor                         ATWOOD OCEANICS PACIFIC LIMITED,
Plaza Ampang City
50450 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia                  as Borrower
Attention:  Michael A. Cardenas
Tel.No.:011 60 34256 9590
Fax No.:011 60 34256 8653
                                             By:   /s/ Michael A. Cardenas
                                                   Name:  Michael A. Cardenas
                                                   Title:    Director










NORDEA BANK NORGE ASA,
GR. CAYMAN BRANCH, Individually and as Issuing Lender

By:  /s/ Martin Lunder
Name:   Martin Lunder
Title:     Senior Vice President



By:  /s/ Alison M. Bas
Name:  Alison M. Bas
Title:    Vice President




                                 CREDIT AGRICOLE INDOSUEZ



                                 By:   /s/ Alain F. Pitner
                                       Name:  Alain F. Pitner
                                       Title:    Vice President

                                 By:   /s/ Guy-Olivier Bygodt
                                       Name:  Guy-Olivier Bygodt
                                       Title:    Vice President










                                  FORTIS CAPITAL CORP.



                                  By:
                                        Name:
                                        Title:












                                      HSH NORDBANK AG



                                      By:   /s/ Stefan Noll
                                            Name:  Stefan Noll
                                            Title:     Vice President

                                      By:   /s/ Stefanie Radtke
                                            Name:  Stefanie Radtke
                                            Title:    Vice President





                                       DVB BANK AG



                                      By:   /s/ Gorm Eikemo
                                            Name: Gorm Eikemo
                                            Title:   AVP

                                      By:   /s/ Richard Jansen
                                            Name:  Richard Jansen
                                            Title:    AVP





                                     SKANDINAVISKA ENSKILDA BANKEN AB (publ)



                                      By:   /s/ Per K. Frolich
                                            Name:  Per K. Frolich
                                            Title:

                                      By:  /s/Erling Amundsen
                                              Name:  Erling Amundsen
                                              Title:







                                      VEREINS- UND WESTBANK AG



                                      By:   /s/ Birgit Marquart
                                            Name:  Birgit Marquart
                                            Title:     Senior Vice President

                                      By:   /s/ Florian Mahiny
                                            Name:  Florian Mahiny
                                            Title:    Assistant Manager






                                      WHITNEY NATIONAL BANK



                                      By:   /s/ Eric Bronson Goebel
                                            Name:  Eric Bronson Goebel
                                            Title:     Assistant Vice President







                                      NATEXIS BANQUES POPULAIRES



                                      By:   /s/ Timothy Palvado
                                            Name:  Timothy Palvado
                                            Title:     Vice President / Manger

                                      By:  /s/ Louis P. Laville, III
                                              Name:  Louis P. Laville, III

                                      Title:     Vice President / Manager