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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001299933-10-001875.txt : 20100510
<SEC-HEADER>0001299933-10-001875.hdr.sgml : 20100510
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20100510073036
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001299933-10-001875
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20100505
ITEM INFORMATION:		Other Events
ITEM INFORMATION:		Financial Statements and Exhibits
FILED AS OF DATE:		20100510
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20100510

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:		10814235

	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_37526.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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	May 5, 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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	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 May 10, 2010, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. announced the sale of certain oil and gas working interest rights for $22.3 million, which resulted in an estimated net of tax gain of $13 million, or $0.08 per share.  The interests sold included rights to explore and develop zones deeper than depths it generally targeted for such properties.  Additionally, the purchaser acquired the right to participate 20% in future wells drilled at the shallower depths.  The sale did not include any producing wells.  The press release regarding this event is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.  The foregoing description is qualified by reference in its entirety to such exhibit.
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	Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
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(d) Exhibits<br><br>99.1 Press release relating to the sale of certain rights in oil and gas working interests.
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<BR><BR><BR><BR><P ALIGN="LEFT" STYLE="FONT-SIZE: 10PT">The information in this report is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall not otherwise be subject to the liabilities of that section and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.</P><!-- PageBreak START -->
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	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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	&nbsp;&nbsp;
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<I>
	May 10, 2010
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<I>
	By:
</I>
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<I>
	John E. Vollmer III
</I>
<BR>
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	&nbsp;
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	Name: John E. Vollmer III
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	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 relating to the sale of certain rights in oil and gas working interests.
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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="left" style="font-size: 12pt">Contact: John E. Vollmer III
<BR>
SVP & Chief Financial Officer
<BR>
Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
<BR>
(281)&nbsp;765-7100


<P align="center" style="font-size: 12pt"><FONT style="font-size: 14pt"><B>Patterson-UTI Energy Reports Sale of Certain Rights in<BR>
Oil and Gas Working Interests for $22.3 Million</B></FONT>



<P align="left" style="font-size: 14pt"><FONT style="font-size: 12pt">HOUSTON, May&nbsp;10, 2010 &#151; <B>Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. </B>(NASDAQ: PTEN) today announced the sale of
certain oil and gas working interest rights for $22.3&nbsp;million, which resulted in an estimated net
of tax gain of $13&nbsp;million, or $0.08 per share. The interests sold included rights to explore and
develop zones deeper than depths it generally targeted for such properties. Additionally, the
purchaser acquired the right to participate 20% in future wells drilled at the shallower depths.
The sale did not include any producing wells.
</FONT>

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


<P align="left" style="font-size: 12pt">Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. subsidiaries provide onshore contract drilling and pressure pumping
services to exploration and production companies in North America. &nbsp;Patterson-UTI Drilling Company
LLC has approximately 350 marketable land-based drilling rigs that operate primarily in the oil and
natural gas producing regions of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and western Canada.
&nbsp;Universal Well Services, Inc. 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. &nbsp;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. &nbsp;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. &nbsp;These filings
are also available through the Company&#146;s web site at </I><U><I>http://www.patenergy.com</I></U><I> or through
the SEC&#146;s Electronic Data Gathering and Analysis Retrieval System (EDGAR)&nbsp;at</I>
<U><I>http://www.sec.gov</I></U><I>. &nbsp;We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statement.</I>



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