EXHIBIT 99.1
NOTICE OF FORCE MAJEURE
Houston, Texas
February 1, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATWOOD OCEANICS, INC., a Houston-based international drilling contractor (NYSE: ATW), announced that, on January 29, 2011, due to the civil unrest that has occurred in Egypt, our customer, RWE Dea Nile GmbH gave notice to Alpha Offshore Services Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atwood Oceanics, Inc., of a force majeure event affecting the operations of the Atwood Aurora which is presently operating offshore Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea.
Provisions of the drilling contract provide for a day rate of 70% of the current operating rate of $133,000 during the first 15 days of the force majeure event. Thereafter, 50% of the operating rate will apply, up to remediation of the force majeure event or contract termination, whichever occurs first. The drilling contract can be terminated by either party after a 30 day period of a continuing force majeure event.
We have secured the well and are in the process of halting offshore operations.
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 including the Company’s dependence on the oil and gas industry; the risks involved in the construction of a rig and commencement of operations of the rig following delivery; competition; operating risks; risks involved in foreign operations; risks associated with possible disruption in operations due to terrorism, acts of piracy, embargoes, war or other military operations; and governmental and i ndustry 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, 2010, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contact: Mark L. Mey
(281) 749-7902
