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<H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>

<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">




<DIV align="right" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt">As filed
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April&nbsp;27, 2006<BR>
Registration No.&nbsp;333-
</DIV>


<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 2pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>




<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 14pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 12pt"><B>Washington, D.C. 20549</B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 18pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>FORM S-8</B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>REGISTRATION STATEMENT</B></DIV>



<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 12pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>UNDER<BR>
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 24pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>NOBLE CORPORATION</B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)</DIV>


<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
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<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="47%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="47%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
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<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top"><B>Cayman Islands</B>
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top"><B>98-0366361</B></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">(State or other jurisdiction
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">(I.R.S. Employer</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">of incorporation or organization)
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Identification Number)</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>13135 South Dairy Ashford, Suite&nbsp;800<BR>
Sugar Land, Texas 77478</B><BR>
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Noble Corporation Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors</B><BR>
(Full Title of the Plan)</DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt">Robert D. Campbell<BR>
Senior Vice President and General Counsel<BR>
Noble Corporation<BR>
13135 South Dairy Ashford, Suite&nbsp;800<BR>
Sugar Land, Texas 77478<BR>
(281)&nbsp;276-6100<BR>
(Name, address and Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)</DIV>


<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><U><B>CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE</B></U>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
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    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="9%">&nbsp;</TD>

    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR style="font-size: 1px" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="left" colspan="15" style="border-bottom: 2px double #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>

    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Proposed Maximum</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Proposed Maximum</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>

    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Title of Securities</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Amount to be</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Offering Price per</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Aggregate Offering</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Amount of</B></TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>

    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>to be Registered</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Registered (1)</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Share (2)</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Price (2)</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center"><B>Registration Fee (2)</B></TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>

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    <TD width="1%" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>

<TD style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"><DIV style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px"><B>Ordinary Shares,
par value $0.10 per
share</B></DIV></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px"><B>50,000 shares</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px"><B>$82.20</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px"><B>$4,110,000</B></TD>
    <TD style="border-right: 2px solid #000000; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="bottom" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 5px"><B>$440</B></TD>
    <TD width="1%" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 1px" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="left" colspan="15" style="border-top: 2px double #000000">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>

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</TABLE>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left">
<DIV style="font-size: 3pt; margin-top: 6pt; width: 18%; border-top: 0px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
</DIV>

<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
<TR>
    <TD width="3%"></TD>
    <TD width="1%"></TD>
    <TD width="96"></TD>
</TR>

<TR valign="top">
    <TD nowrap align="left">(1)</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Pursuant to Rule&nbsp;416 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#147;Act&#148;), this
Registration Statement includes any additional shares of the registrant&#146;s Ordinary Shares that
may be issued pursuant to any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction with respect
to these shares.</TD>
</TR>

<TR style="font-size: 3pt"><TD>&nbsp;</TD></TR>

<TR valign="top">
    <TD nowrap align="left">(2)</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c)
and 457(h) under the Act, the offering price and registration fee are based on a price of
$82.20 per share, which price is an average of the high and low prices of the Ordinary Shares
as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on April&nbsp;26, 2006.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>



<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 1pt solid black; margin-top: 10pt; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style="width: 100%; border-bottom: 2pt solid black; font-size: 1pt">&nbsp;</DIV>





<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;
</DIV>

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<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">








<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><U><B>EXPLANATORY NOTE</B></U>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the &#147;Securities Act&#148;), by Noble Corporation, a Cayman Islands exempted company limited
by shares, as successor issuer to Noble Drilling Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (&#147;Noble-Delaware&#148;), following a corporate reorganization (the &#147;Reorganization&#148;) that
became effective on April&nbsp;30, 2002. Pursuant to the
Reorganization, the &#147;Noble Drilling Corporation
Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors&#148; was renamed the &#147;Noble Corporation Equity
Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors&#148; (the &#147;Plan&#148;) and was assumed by us. Our ordinary
shares, par value US$0.10 per share (&#147;Ordinary Shares&#148;), are currently issuable under the Plan
rather than shares of common stock of Noble-Delaware.
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Noble-Delaware previously filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No.&nbsp;333-17407) (the
&#147;Prior Registration Statement&#148;) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#147;Commission&#148;)
on December&nbsp;6, 1996, for the purpose of registering 75,000 shares of Noble-Delaware common stock
available for issuance in accordance with the terms of the Noble Drilling Corporation Equity
Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors. We, as successor issuer to Noble-Delaware, filed
Post-Effective Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to the Prior Registration Statement with the Commission on May&nbsp;15,
2002 (&#147;Post-Effective Amendment No.&nbsp;1&#148;). Post-Effective Amendment No.&nbsp;1 was filed in connection
with the Reorganization to reflect (i)&nbsp;the change in the Plan&#146;s name, (ii)&nbsp;the assumption of the
Plan by us, (iii)&nbsp;that Ordinary Shares became issuable under the Plan in lieu of Noble-Delaware
common stock, and (iv)&nbsp;that we expressly adopted the Prior Registration Statement as our own for
all purposes of the Securities Act and the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
&#147;Exchange Act&#148;).
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Effective August&nbsp;1, 2004, the Plan was amended to, among other things, increase, by an
addition of 50,000, the number of Ordinary Shares available for issuance under the Plan. The
purpose of this Registration Statement is to register the additional 50,000 Ordinary Shares
issuable pursuant to the Plan, including any additional shares which may be issued under the Plan
as a result of a stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction with respect to the shares.
Except as supplemented by the information set forth below, pursuant to Instruction E of Form S-8,
the contents of our Prior Registration Statement, as amended by Post-Effective Amendment No.&nbsp;1, are
incorporated herein by reference.
</DIV>


<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">1
</DIV>

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<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">




<!-- TOC -->
<A name="toc"><DIV align="CENTER" style="page-break-before:always"><U><B>TABLE OF CONTENTS</B></U></DIV></A>

<P><CENTER>
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	<TD width="76%"></TD>
</TR>
<TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="#000"> PART II</A></TD></TR>
<TR><TD></TD><TD colspan="8"><A HREF="#001">Item&nbsp;3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference</A></TD></TR>
<TR><TD></TD><TD colspan="8"><A HREF="#002">Item&nbsp;8. Exhibits</A></TD></TR>
<TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="#003"> SIGNATURES</A></TD></TR>
<TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="#004"> INDEX TO EXHIBITS</A></TD></TR>
<TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="d35394exv5w1.htm">Opinion and Consent of Maples and Calder</A></TD></TR>
<TR><TD colspan="9"><A HREF="d35394exv23w1.htm">Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP</A></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
</CENTER>
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<DIV align="left"><A NAME="000"></A></DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>PART II</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="Center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt"><B>INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</B>

</DIV>
<!-- link2 "Item&nbsp;3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference" -->
<DIV align="left"><A NAME="001"></A></DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The following documents filed by us with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act, are
incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference and shall be deemed to be a part hereof:
</DIV>

<DIV style="margin-top: 6pt">
<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">

<TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="2%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="3%" nowrap align="left">1.</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December&nbsp;31, 2005,
filed on March&nbsp;14, 2006;</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="2%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="3%" nowrap align="left">2.</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January&nbsp;6, 2006, February&nbsp;7, 2006*,
February&nbsp;8, 2006, February&nbsp;10, 2006*, February&nbsp;22, 2006, March&nbsp;6, 2006, March&nbsp;17, 2006
and April&nbsp;3, 2006, and on Form 8-K/A filed on March&nbsp;3, 2006.</TD>
</TR>

<TR>
    <TD style="font-size: 6pt">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR valign="top" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #000000; background: transparent">
    <TD width="2%" style="background: transparent">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="3%" nowrap align="left">3.</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>The description of our Ordinary Shares contained in our Registration Statement
on Form 8-A filed on April&nbsp;26, 2002, as amended by Amendment
No.&nbsp;1 on Form 8-A/A filed
on March&nbsp;14, 2003 and Amendment No.&nbsp;2 on Form 8-A/A filed on June&nbsp;10, 2005.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left">
<DIV style="font-size: 3pt; margin-top: 16pt; width: 18%; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
</DIV>

<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
<TR>
    <TD width="3%"></TD>
    <TD width="1%"></TD>
    <TD width="96"></TD>
</TR>

<TR valign="top">
    <TD nowrap align="left">*</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Excluding any portions thereof that are deemed to be furnished and not filed.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>



<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition, all documents filed by us with the Commission pursuant to Sections&nbsp;13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to
the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold, or which deregisters all securities then remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference and to be a
part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Any statement contained in this Registration Statement, in any amendment hereto or in a
document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes
of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
subsequently-filed supplement to this Registration Statement or in any document that also is
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified
or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of
this Registration Statement. Nothing in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to incorporate
information furnished by us but not filed with the Commission pursuant to Items 2.02, 7.01 or 9.01
of Form 8-K.
</DIV>

<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">II-1
</DIV>

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<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
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<DIV align="left"><A NAME="002"></A></DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 12pt"><B>Item&nbsp;8. Exhibits</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The following documents are filed as a part of this Registration Statement or incorporated
herein by reference:
</DIV>
<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="6%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="92%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="center">Exhibit</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">No.</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">Description</TD>
</TR>

<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.1*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Memorandum of Association of Noble Corporation (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;3.3 to Noble Corporation&#146;s
Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-4 (No.&nbsp;333-84278), dated March&nbsp;13, 2002, and incorporated
herein by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.2*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Articles of Association of Noble Corporation (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;3.2 to Noble Corporation&#146;s
Quarterly Report on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the three-month period ended March&nbsp;31, 2005 and incorporated
herein by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.3*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Specimen Noble Corporation Ordinary Share certificate (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;3.5 to Noble
Corporation&#146;s Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-4 (No.&nbsp;333-84278), dated March&nbsp;13, 2002, and
incorporated herein by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">5.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Opinion of Maples and Calder, regarding the legality of securities to be issued by Noble
Corporation.</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">10.1*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Noble Corporation Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;4.1
to Noble Drilling Corporation&#146;s Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8 (No.&nbsp;333-17407), dated
December&nbsp;6, 1996, and incorporated herein by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">10.2*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Amendment No.&nbsp;1, effective as of May&nbsp;1, 2002, to the Noble Corporation Equity Compensation
Plan for Non-Employee Directors (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;10.1 to Post-Effective Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to
Noble Corporation&#146;s Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8 (No.&nbsp;333-17407) and incorporated herein
by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">10.3*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Amendment No.&nbsp;2 to the Noble
Corporation Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors,
dated February&nbsp;4, 2005 (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;10.20 to Noble Corporation&#146;s Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December&nbsp;31, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.2
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit&nbsp;5.1).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">24.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Powers of Attorney (included in signature page hereto).</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>



<DIV align="left">
<DIV style="font-size: 3pt; margin-top: 16pt; width: 18%; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
</DIV>

<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
<TR>
    <TD width="3%"></TD>
    <TD width="1%"></TD>
    <TD width="96"></TD>
</TR>

<TR valign="top">
    <TD nowrap align="left">*</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>




<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">II-2
</DIV>

<!-- PAGEBREAK -->
<P><HR noshade><P>
<H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>

<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">



<!-- link1 " SIGNATURES" -->
<DIV align="left"><A NAME="003"></A></DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>SIGNATURES</B>
</DIV>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pursuant to the requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that
it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8
and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in Houston, Texas on April&nbsp;26, 2006.
</DIV>

<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
<TR>
    <TD width="48%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="35%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="15%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
    <TD valign="top" align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="3" align="left"><B>NOBLE CORPORATION</B><BR>
&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR>
    <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD valign="top">By:&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000" align="left">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">James C. Day</FONT>
&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR>
    <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="2" align="left">James C. Day&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR><TR>
    <TD align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD colspan="2" align="left">Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
    <TD colspan="5">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>


<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pursuant to the requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement
on Form S-8 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
</DIV>

<DIV align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 6pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Each person whose signature appears below appoints James C. Day, Mark A. Jackson and Robert D.
Campbell, and each of them, each of whom may act without the joinder of the others, as his true and
lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments thereto
(including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement and any registration statement
for the same offering filed pursuant to Rule&nbsp;462 under the Securities Act, and to file the same
with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully and for all
intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or their substitutes may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.
</DIV>
<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="30%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="30%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="30%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Signature</B></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Title</B></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Date</B></TD>
</TR>

<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">James C. Day</FONT><BR>
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
James C. Day
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Chairman and Chief Executive<BR>
Officer and Director <I>(Principal<BR>
Executive Officer and Authorized<BR>
Representative in the United States)</I>
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">April&nbsp;26, 2006</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">Mark A. Jackson<BR></FONT>
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Mark A. Jackson
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">President and Chief Operating
Officer,<BR> and acting Chief Financial
Officer<BR>
<I>(Principal Financial and Accounting
Officer)</I>
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">April&nbsp;26, 2006</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">Michael A. Cawley<BR></FONT>
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Michael A. Cawley
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Director
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">April&nbsp;26, 2006</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>


<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">II-3
</DIV>

<!-- PAGEBREAK -->
<P><HR noshade><P>
<H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>

<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">

<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="30%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="30%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="30%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Signature</B></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Title</B></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><B>Date</B></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>

<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">Lawrence J. Chazen<BR></FONT>
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Lawrence J. Chazen
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Director
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">April&nbsp;26, 2006</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">Luke R. Corbett<BR></FONT>
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Luke R. Corbett
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Director
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">April&nbsp;26, 2006</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">Julie H. Edwards<BR></FONT>
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Julie H. Edwards
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Director
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">April&nbsp;26, 2006</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">Marc E. Leland<BR></FONT>
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Marc E. Leland
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Director
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">April&nbsp;26, 2006</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">Jack E. Little<BR></FONT>
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Jack E. Little
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Director
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">April&nbsp;26, 2006</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">Mary P. Ricciardello<BR></FONT>
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
Mary P. Ricciardello
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Director
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">April&nbsp;26, 2006</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top">/s/ <FONT style="font-variant: SMALL-CAPS">William A. Sears<BR></FONT>
<DIV style="font-size: 1pt; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
William A. Sears
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">Director
</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="center" valign="top">April&nbsp;26, 2006</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>


<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">II-4
</DIV>

<!-- PAGEBREAK -->
<P><HR noshade><P>
<H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always"><A HREF="#toc">Table of Contents</A></H5><P>

<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">

<!-- link1 " INDEX TO EXHIBITS" -->
<DIV align="left"><A NAME="004"></A></DIV>

<DIV align="center" style="font-size: 10pt; margin-top: 18pt"><B>INDEX TO EXHIBITS</B>
</DIV>

<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="6%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="2%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="92%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="center">Exhibit</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">No.</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD nowrap align="center" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000">Description</TD>
</TR>

<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.1*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Memorandum of Association of Noble Corporation (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;3.3 to Noble Corporation&#146;s
Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-4 (No.&nbsp;333-84278), dated March&nbsp;13, 2002, and incorporated
herein by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.2*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Articles of Association of Noble Corporation (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;3.2 to Noble Corporation&#146;s
Quarterly Report on Form&nbsp;10-Q for the three-month period ended March&nbsp;31, 2005 and incorporated
herein by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">4.3*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Specimen Noble Corporation Ordinary Share certificate (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;3.5 to Noble
Corporation&#146;s Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-4 (No.&nbsp;333-84278), dated March&nbsp;13, 2002, and
incorporated herein by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">5.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Opinion of Maples and Calder, regarding the legality of securities to be issued by Noble
Corporation.</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">10.1*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Noble Corporation Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;4.1
to Noble Drilling Corporation&#146;s Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8 (No.&nbsp;333-17407), dated
December&nbsp;6, 1996, and incorporated herein by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">10.2*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Amendment No.&nbsp;1, effective as of May&nbsp;1, 2002, to the Noble Corporation Equity Compensation
Plan for Non-Employee Directors (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;10.1 to Post-Effective Amendment No.&nbsp;1 to
Noble Corporation&#146;s Registration Statement on Form&nbsp;S-8 (No.&nbsp;333-17407) and incorporated herein
by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">10.3*
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Amendment No.&nbsp;2 to the Noble
Corporation Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors,
dated February&nbsp;4, 2005 (filed as Exhibit&nbsp;10.20 to Noble Corporation&#146;s Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December&nbsp;31, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">23.2
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit&nbsp;5.1).</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom"><!-- Blank Space -->
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">24.1
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">Powers of Attorney (included in signature page hereto).</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>



<DIV align="left">
<DIV style="font-size: 3pt; margin-top: 16pt; width: 18%; border-top: 1px solid #000000">&nbsp;</DIV>
</DIV>

<TABLE width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt">
<TR>
    <TD width="3%"></TD>
    <TD width="1%"></TD>
    <TD width="96"></TD>
</TR>

<TR valign="top">
    <TD nowrap align="left">*</TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD>Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.</TD>
</TR>

</TABLE>


<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">II-5
</DIV>

</BODY>
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sv8
Table of Contents
As filed
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2006
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
NOBLE CORPORATION
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Cayman Islands
98-0366361
(State or other jurisdiction
(I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)
Identification Number)
13135 South Dairy Ashford, Suite 800
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
Noble Corporation Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors
(Full Title of the Plan)
Robert D. Campbell
Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Noble Corporation
13135 South Dairy Ashford, Suite 800
Sugar Land, Texas 77478
(281) 276-6100
(Name, address and Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed Maximum
Proposed Maximum
Title of Securities
Amount to be
Offering Price per
Aggregate Offering
Amount of
to be Registered
Registered (1)
Share (2)
Price (2)
Registration Fee (2)
Ordinary Shares,
par value $0.10 per
share
50,000 shares
$82.20
$4,110,000
$440
(1)
Pursuant to Rule 416 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), this
Registration Statement includes any additional shares of the registrant's Ordinary Shares that
may be issued pursuant to any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction with respect
to these shares.
(2)
Estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c)
and 457(h) under the Act, the offering price and registration fee are based on a price of
$82.20 per share, which price is an average of the high and low prices of the Ordinary Shares
as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on April 26, 2006.
Table of Contents
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This Registration Statement on Form S-8 is being filed under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Securities Act"), by Noble Corporation, a Cayman Islands exempted company limited
by shares, as successor issuer to Noble Drilling Corporation, a Delaware
corporation ("Noble-Delaware"), following a corporate reorganization (the "Reorganization") that
became effective on April 30, 2002. Pursuant to the
Reorganization, the "Noble Drilling Corporation
Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors" was renamed the "Noble Corporation Equity
Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors" (the "Plan") and was assumed by us. Our ordinary
shares, par value US$0.10 per share ("Ordinary Shares"), are currently issuable under the Plan
rather than shares of common stock of Noble-Delaware.
Noble-Delaware previously filed a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-17407) (the
"Prior Registration Statement") with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
on December 6, 1996, for the purpose of registering 75,000 shares of Noble-Delaware common stock
available for issuance in accordance with the terms of the Noble Drilling Corporation Equity
Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors. We, as successor issuer to Noble-Delaware, filed
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Prior Registration Statement with the Commission on May 15,
2002 ("Post-Effective Amendment No. 1"). Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 was filed in connection
with the Reorganization to reflect (i) the change in the Plan's name, (ii) the assumption of the
Plan by us, (iii) that Ordinary Shares became issuable under the Plan in lieu of Noble-Delaware
common stock, and (iv) that we expressly adopted the Prior Registration Statement as our own for
all purposes of the Securities Act and the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act").
Effective August 1, 2004, the Plan was amended to, among other things, increase, by an
addition of 50,000, the number of Ordinary Shares available for issuance under the Plan. The
purpose of this Registration Statement is to register the additional 50,000 Ordinary Shares
issuable pursuant to the Plan, including any additional shares which may be issued under the Plan
as a result of a stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction with respect to the shares.
Except as supplemented by the information set forth below, pursuant to Instruction E of Form S-8,
the contents of our Prior Registration Statement, as amended by Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, are
incorporated herein by reference.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART II
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference
Item 8. Exhibits
SIGNATURES
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Opinion and Consent of Maples and Calder
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Table of Contents
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference
The following documents filed by us with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act, are
incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference and shall be deemed to be a part hereof:
1.
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2005,
filed on March 14, 2006;
2.
Our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on January 6, 2006, February 7, 2006*,
February 8, 2006, February 10, 2006*, February 22, 2006, March 6, 2006, March 17, 2006
and April 3, 2006, and on Form 8-K/A filed on March 3, 2006.
3.
The description of our Ordinary Shares contained in our Registration Statement
on Form 8-A filed on April 26, 2002, as amended by Amendment
No. 1 on Form 8-A/A filed
on March 14, 2003 and Amendment No. 2 on Form 8-A/A filed on June 10, 2005.
*
Excluding any portions thereof that are deemed to be furnished and not filed.
In addition, all documents filed by us with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to
the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which indicates that all
securities offered hereby have been sold, or which deregisters all securities then remaining
unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated in this Registration Statement by reference and to be a
part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.
Any statement contained in this Registration Statement, in any amendment hereto or in a
document incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes
of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any
subsequently-filed supplement to this Registration Statement or in any document that also is
incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified
or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of
this Registration Statement. Nothing in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to incorporate
information furnished by us but not filed with the Commission pursuant to Items 2.02, 7.01 or 9.01
of Form 8-K.
II-1
Table of Contents
Item 8. Exhibits
The following documents are filed as a part of this Registration Statement or incorporated
herein by reference:
Exhibit
No.
Description
4.1*
Memorandum of Association of Noble Corporation (filed as Exhibit 3.3 to Noble Corporation's
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-84278), dated March 13, 2002, and incorporated
herein by reference).
4.2*
Articles of Association of Noble Corporation (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to Noble Corporation's
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three-month period ended March 31, 2005 and incorporated
herein by reference).
4.3*
Specimen Noble Corporation Ordinary Share certificate (filed as Exhibit 3.5 to Noble
Corporation's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-84278), dated March 13, 2002, and
incorporated herein by reference).
5.1
Opinion of Maples and Calder, regarding the legality of securities to be issued by Noble
Corporation.
10.1*
Noble Corporation Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors (filed as Exhibit 4.1
to Noble Drilling Corporation's Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-17407), dated
December 6, 1996, and incorporated herein by reference).
10.2*
Amendment No. 1, effective as of May 1, 2002, to the Noble Corporation Equity Compensation
Plan for Non-Employee Directors (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to
Noble Corporation's Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-17407) and incorporated herein
by reference).
10.3*
Amendment No. 2 to the Noble
Corporation Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors,
dated February 4, 2005 (filed as Exhibit 10.20 to Noble Corporation's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference).
23.1
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
23.2
Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1
Powers of Attorney (included in signature page hereto).
*
Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.
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Table of Contents
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that
it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8
and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in Houston, Texas on April 26, 2006.
NOBLE CORPORATION
By:
/s/
James C. Day
James C. Day
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement
on Form S-8 has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Each person whose signature appears below appoints James C. Day, Mark A. Jackson and Robert D.
Campbell, and each of them, each of whom may act without the joinder of the others, as his true and
lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him
and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments thereto
(including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement and any registration statement
for the same offering filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act, and to file the same
with all exhibits thereto and all documents in connection therewith with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully and for all
intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or their substitutes may lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue hereof.
Signature
Title
Date
/s/
James C. Day
James C. Day
Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer and Director
(Principal
Executive Officer and Authorized
Representative in the United States)
April 26, 2006
/s/
Mark A. Jackson
Mark A. Jackson
President and Chief Operating
Officer,
and acting Chief Financial
Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting
Officer)
April 26, 2006
/s/
Michael A. Cawley
Michael A. Cawley
Director
April 26, 2006
II-3
Table of Contents
Signature
Title
Date
/s/
Lawrence J. Chazen
Lawrence J. Chazen
Director
April 26, 2006
/s/
Luke R. Corbett
Luke R. Corbett
Director
April 26, 2006
/s/
Julie H. Edwards
Julie H. Edwards
Director
April 26, 2006
/s/
Marc E. Leland
Marc E. Leland
Director
April 26, 2006
/s/
Jack E. Little
Jack E. Little
Director
April 26, 2006
/s/
Mary P. Ricciardello
Mary P. Ricciardello
Director
April 26, 2006
/s/
William A. Sears
William A. Sears
Director
April 26, 2006
II-4
Table of Contents
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit
No.
Description
4.1*
Memorandum of Association of Noble Corporation (filed as Exhibit 3.3 to Noble Corporation's
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-84278), dated March 13, 2002, and incorporated
herein by reference).
4.2*
Articles of Association of Noble Corporation (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to Noble Corporation's
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three-month period ended March 31, 2005 and incorporated
herein by reference).
4.3*
Specimen Noble Corporation Ordinary Share certificate (filed as Exhibit 3.5 to Noble
Corporation's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (No. 333-84278), dated March 13, 2002, and
incorporated herein by reference).
5.1
Opinion of Maples and Calder, regarding the legality of securities to be issued by Noble
Corporation.
10.1*
Noble Corporation Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors (filed as Exhibit 4.1
to Noble Drilling Corporation's Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-17407), dated
December 6, 1996, and incorporated herein by reference).
10.2*
Amendment No. 1, effective as of May 1, 2002, to the Noble Corporation Equity Compensation
Plan for Non-Employee Directors (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to
Noble Corporation's Registration Statement on Form S-8 (No. 333-17407) and incorporated herein
by reference).
10.3*
Amendment No. 2 to the Noble
Corporation Equity Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors,
dated February 4, 2005 (filed as Exhibit 10.20 to Noble Corporation's Annual Report on Form
10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference).
23.1
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
23.2
Consent of Maples and Calder (included in Exhibit 5.1).
24.1
Powers of Attorney (included in signature page hereto).
*
Incorporated herein by reference as indicated.
II-5