Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
DOTSON GEORGE S
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ATWOOD OCEANICS INC [ATW]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1579 E 21ST STREET
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/08/2011
(Street)

TULSA, OK 74114
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 08/08/2011 08/08/2011 M   8,000 A $ 9.775 75,086 (1) D  
Common Stock 08/08/2011 08/08/2011 M   8,000 A $ 16.878 83,086 (1) D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Nonqualified Stock Options $ 9.775 08/08/2011 08/08/2011 M   8,000     (2) 03/04/2014 Common Stock 8,000 $ 9.775 0 (4) D  
Nonqualified Stock Options $ 16.878 08/08/2011 08/08/2011 M   8,000     (3) 03/03/2015 Common Stock 8,000 $ 16.878 0 (4) D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
DOTSON GEORGE S
1579 E 21ST STREET
TULSA, OK 74114
  X      

Signatures

 /s/ George S. Dotson, Walter A. Baker By Power of Attorney   08/09/2011
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Represents the total number of shares of Common Stock held by the reporting person subsequent to the transactions reported hereby.
(2) These options were granted on March 4, 2004 and vested 25% per year with full vesting on March 4, 2008.
(3) These options were granted on March 3, 2005 and vested 25% per year with full vesting on March 3, 2009.
(4) Represents the total number of Nonqualified Stock Options held by the reporting person with the same exercise price and expiration date subsequent to the transactions reported hereby.

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