Atwood takes delivery of first of four drillships

Atwood Advantage prior to departure from DSME

DECEMBER 12, 2013 — Atwood Oceanics, Inc. (NYSE: ATW) has taken delivery of the drillship Atwood Advantage from the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. (DSME) shipyard in South Korea.

The Atwood Advantage has departed the shipyard and commenced its drilling services contract with Noble Energy, Inc. Following its mobilization to the U. S. Gulf of Mexico, the Atwood Advantage will conduct a three year drilling program with Noble Energy.

Rob Saltiel, Atwood Oceanics President and CEO, commented, “We are very pleased to take delivery of the Atwood Advantage, the first of four ‘A-Class’ ultra-deepwater drillships that we are building at the DSME shipyard in South Korea. I appreciate the excellent collaboration between DSME and Atwood in constructing and commissioning this state-of-the-art vessel.”