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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001299933-10-000217.txt : 20100120
<SEC-HEADER>0001299933-10-000217.hdr.sgml : 20100120
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20100120161024
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001299933-10-000217
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20100120
ITEM INFORMATION:		Other Events
ITEM INFORMATION:		Financial Statements and Exhibits
FILED AS OF DATE:		20100120
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20100120

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PATTERSON UTI ENERGY INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000889900
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	DRILLING OIL & GAS WELLS [1381]
		IRS NUMBER:				752504748
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-22664
		FILM NUMBER:		10536417

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4510 LAMESA HWY
		STREET 2:		P O DRAWER 1416
		CITY:			SNYDER
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			79549
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9155731104

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P O DRAWER 1416
		CITY:			SNYDER
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			79550

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	PATTERSON ENERGY INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19940228
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>htm_35900.htm
<DESCRIPTION>LIVE FILING
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<TITLE> Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (Form: 8-K) </TITLE>
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		UNITED STATES<BR>
	SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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	WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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	FORM 8-K
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	CURRENT REPORT
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	Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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	Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):
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	&nbsp;
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	January 20, 2010
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	Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
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<BR>__________________________________________<BR>
	(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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	Delaware
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	0-22664
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	75-2504748
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_____________________<BR>
	(State or other jurisdiction
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_____________<BR>
	(Commission
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______________<BR>
	(I.R.S. Employer
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	of incorporation)
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	File Number)
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	Identification No.)
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	450 Gears Road, Suite 500, Houston, Texas
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	&nbsp;
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	77067
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_________________________________<BR>
	(Address of principal executive offices)
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	&nbsp;
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___________<BR>
	(Zip Code)
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	Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code:
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	&nbsp;
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	281-765-7100
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	Not Applicable
<BR>______________________________________________<BR>
	Former name or former address, if changed since last report
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	&nbsp;
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<!-- CoverPageRegistrant END --><P><FONT SIZE="2">
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any
of the following provisions:</FONT>
</P>
<P><FONT SIZE="2">
[&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)<br>
[&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<br>
[&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<br>
[&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))<br>
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<B>
	Item 8.01 Other Events.
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On January 20, 2010, the Company issued a press release announcing that it has exited the drilling and completion fluid services business.  The Company's subsidiary, Ambar Lone Star Fluid Services LLC completed the sale of substantially all of its assets, other than billed accounts receivable.  A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.
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	Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
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(d) The following exhibit is furnished herewith:<br><br>99.1  Press Release dated January 20, 2010 relating to the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company's drilling and completion fluids services business.
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<B>
	SIGNATURES
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	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.
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	Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
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<I>
	January 20, 2010
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	&nbsp;
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<I>
	By:
</I>
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	&nbsp;
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<I>
	/s/ John E. Vollmer III
</I>
<BR>
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	&nbsp;
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	&nbsp;
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<I>
	Name: John E. Vollmer III
</I>
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<I>
	Title: Senior Vice President - Corporate Development, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
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	Exhibit&nbsp;Index
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	Exhibit No.
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	Description
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	99.1
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	&nbsp;
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Press Release dated January 20, 2010 relating to the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company's drilling and completion fluid services business.
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<P align="right" style="font-size: 10pt"><FONT style="font-size: 12pt"><B>Exhibit&nbsp;99.1</B></FONT>



<P align="center" style="font-size: 12pt"><FONT style="font-size: 16pt"><B>Patterson-UTI Announces Sale of<BR>
Drilling and Completion Fluid Services Business</B></FONT>



<P align="left" style="font-size: 16pt; text-indent: 4%"><FONT style="font-size: 12pt"><B>HOUSTON &#150; January&nbsp;20, 2010 &#150; PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC. (NASDAQ: PTEN) </B>announced that it
has exited the drilling and completion fluid services business. Patterson-UTI&#146;s subsidiary, Ambar
Lone Star Fluid Services LLC, today completed the sale of substantially all of its assets, other
than billed accounts receivable, to National Oilwell Varco, L.P.&nbsp; The net cash proceeds from the
sale and collection of billed accounts receivable, net of the payment of accrued expenses and
transaction costs are expected to be approximately $48&nbsp;million. Patterson-UTI expects to record a
small loss on this transaction.
</FONT>

<P align="left" style="font-size: 12pt"><B>About Patterson-UTI</B>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 4%">Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. subsidiaries provide onshore contract drilling and pressure pumping
services to exploration and production companies in North America. Patterson-UTI Drilling Company
LLC has approximately 350 currently marketable land-based drilling rigs that operate primarily in
oil and natural gas producing regions of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Pennsylvania and western
Canada. Universal Well Services Inc.&nbsp;provides pressure pumping services primarily in the
Appalachian Basin.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 12pt"><I>Statements made in this press release which state the Company&#146;s or management&#146;s intentions,
beliefs, expectations or predictions for the future are forward-looking statements. It is
important to note that actual results could differ materially from those discussed in such
forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
include, but are not limited to, deterioration in the global economic environment, declines in oil
and natural gas prices that could adversely affect demand for the Company&#146;s services, and their
associated effect on day rates, rig utilization and planned capital expenditures, excess
availability of land drilling rigs, including as a result of the reactivation or construction of
new land drilling rigs, adverse industry conditions, difficulty in integrating acquisitions, demand
for oil and natural gas, shortages of rig equipment and ability to retain management and field
personnel. Additional information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements is contained from time to time in the
Company&#146;s SEC filings, which may be obtained by contacting the Company or the SEC. These filings
are also available through the Company&#146;s web site at </I><U>http://www.patenergy.com</U> <I>or through
the SEC&#146;s Electronic Data Gathering and Analysis Retrieval System (EDGAR)&nbsp;at</I>
<U>http://www.sec.gov</U><I>. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statement.</I>


<P align="left" style="font-size: 12pt">Contact:
<BR>
John E. Vollmer III
<BR>
SVP & Chief Financial Officer
<BR>
Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
<BR>
(281)&nbsp;765-7100



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