Print PageOur History
Atwood Oceanics, Inc. was founded in 1968 to "engage in contract drilling of exploratory and development oil and gas wells in offshore areas and provide related support, management and consulting services." The Company began offshore drilling operations in 1970, and since then we have provided our clients with safe, reliable and efficient offshore drilling services.
We have maintained our unique, client-focused culture through many business cycles and industry-changing events over the past four decades. From the first trans-Atlantic dry tow transport of a jack-up drilling unit in 1975 to numerous unique and innovative rig designs utilized through the years, Atwood has long been an industry leader.
We have worked with many of the world's most successful oil and gas companies, including "super-major" producers, national oil companies and independent operators. We have a strong track record of operations performance focused around the US Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, West Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia. We have built a solid reputation with our clients for operational excellence and superior responsiveness.
Our accomplishments have been widely recognized. In 2007, Forbes Magazine named Atwood Oceanics as one of America's 200 Best Small Companies and in 2009 as one of their 100 Best Mid-Cap Stocks in America. From 2008-2010, our company has been ranked as one of Fortune Magazine's 100 Fastest Growing U.S. Companies.
Atwood's reputation as a premier international drilling and completion contractor has been enhanced by our proud history of working closely with our clients on safety and environmental matters. Accomplishments that highlight our strong HSE record include ExxonMobil's "Safe Drilling Contractor of the Year", "Gold Award" and "Grand Award"; British Gas' Chairman's Award; Hess' Chairman's Award for Safety Excellence; IADC's "Accident Prevention Award" in the U.S. and International; and APPEA's "Best Safety Award" in Australia.
We continue our unwavering focus on delivering world-class drilling services to our clients as we undertake an ambitious newbuild program to extend our capabilities and our market presence.