<PAGE>   1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 17, 2001
                                                         Registration No. ______

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                                   ----------

                           PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

<Table>
<S>                                                              <C>
                        Delaware                                              75-2504748
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

        4510 Lamesa Highway, Snyder, Texas                                      79549
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                                (Zip Code)
</Table>

                                   ----------

           2001 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN OF PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.
                           (Full title of the plan(s))

                                   ----------

                                Cloyce A. Talbott
                             Chief Executive Officer
                           Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
                    4510 Lamesa Highway, Snyder, Texas 79549
                                 (915) 573-1104
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:

<Table>
<S>                                                             <C>
   Jonathan D. Nelson                                           Thomas H. Maxfield, Esq.
   Chief Financial Officer and Vice President - Finance         Baker & Hostetler LLP
   4510 Lamesa Highway                                          303 East Seventeenth Avenue
   Snyder, Texas  79549                                         Suite 1100
                                                                Denver, Colorado  80203
</Table>

                                   ----------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
<Table>
<Caption>
==================================================================================================================================
                                                         Proposed maximum
   Title of securities to          Amount to be          offering price per     Proposed maximum aggregate         Amount of
         registered               registered (1)             share (2)              offering price (2)        registration fee (2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                               <C>                    <C>                    <C>                           <C>
Common Stock, par value
$.01 per share                       2,000,000                $15.325                   $30,650,000                  $7,663
==================================================================================================================================
</Table>


(1)      The number of shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, stated
         above ("Common Stock") consists of the aggregate number of shares which
         may be sold under 2001 Long-Term Incentive Plan of Patterson-UTI
         Energy, Inc. (the "Plan"). The maximum number of shares which may be
         sold upon exercise of options granted under the Plan are subject to (i)
         adjustment in accordance with the anti-dilution and other provisions of
         the Plan ("Plan Provisions"); and (ii) the Stockholder Rights Plan
         dated January 2, 1997 between Patterson Energy, Inc. and Continental
         Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as rights agent ("Rights Agreement").
         Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 416 promulgated under the Securities Act
         of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), this Registration Statement
         covers, in addition to the number of shares stated above, an
         indeterminate number of shares which may be subject to grant or
         otherwise issuable after the operation of any Plan Provision and/or the
         Rights Agreement.

(2)      Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c), based upon the average of the high
         and low sales price per share of Common Stock of Patterson-UTI Energy,
         Inc. (the "Registrant") on the NASDAQ National Market Issues Reports as
         of a date (August 13, 2001) within five (5) business days prior to
         filing this Registration Statement.

<PAGE>   2

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

         The document(s) containing the information required by Part I will be
sent or given to employees as specified by Rule 428(b). Such documents are not
being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") either as
part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements
pursuant to Rule 424. Such documents and the documents incorporated by reference
in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II to this Form S-8,
taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section
10(a) of the Securities Act.


                                      I-1
<PAGE>   3
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), subsequent to the date of the filing of this Registration
Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment indicating that
all securities registered hereunder have been sold, or that deregisters all
securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by
reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date
of the filing of such documents. The documents listed in (a) through (l) below
are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

         (a)      The Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Registrant for the
                  fiscal year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the Commission
                  on March 2, 2001;

         (b)      Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended March 31, 2001, filed with the Commission on May 7,
                  2001;

         (c)      Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended June 30, 2001, filed with the Commission on August 1,
                  2001;

         (d)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 5, 2001
                  and filed with the Commission on February 6, 2001;

         (e)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 4, 2001
                  and filed with the Commission on February 16, 2001;

         (f)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 27, 2001
                  and filed with the Commission on March 27, 2001;

         (g)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 19, 2001
                  and filed with the Commission on April 23, 2001;

         (h)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 8, 2001 and
                  filed with the Commission on May 8, 2001;

         (i)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 8, 2001 and
                  filed with the Commission on July 23, 2001;

         (j)      All other reports filed by the Registrant or Patterson Energy,
                  Inc. with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
                  the Exchange Act since December 31, 2000;

         (k)      Description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in the
                  Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, which became
                  effective with the Commission on November 2, 1993; and


                                      II-1
<PAGE>   4

         (l)      Description of the Registrant's Preferred Stock Purchase
                  Rights contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on
                  Form 8-A, which became effective on January 14, 1997.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

         Not Applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTEREST OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

         The validity of the shares of the Registrant's Common Stock offered
hereby are being passed upon for the Registrant by Baker & Hostetler, LLP,
counsel to the Registrant. Members of that firm currently own 7,000 shares of
the Registrant's Common Stock.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         The Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL") allows a corporation to
indemnify directors, officers, employees and agents for costs and expenses
incurred by or in connection with an action, suit or proceeding brought by
reason of their position as a director, officer employee or agent. The person
indemnified must have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed
to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. The DGCL
provides that a corporation may advance payment of expenses under certain
circumstances. The DGCL further provides that the indemnification and
advancement of expenses provisions of the DGCL will not be deemed exclusive of
any other rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses to which
directors, officers, employees and agents may be entitled under bylaw,
agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as
to action in such person's official capacity and as to action in another
capacity while holding such office.

         In addition to the general indemnification section, Delaware law
provides further protection for directors under Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL.
This section allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of
incorporation a provision that eliminates or limits the personal liability of a
director for monetary damages for breaches of the director's fiduciary duty of
care, provided that any such provision does not (in the words of the statute) do
any of the following:

         "eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of
         the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders,
         (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve
         intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under
         Section 174 of this Title [dealing with willful or negligent violation
         of the statutory provision concerning dividends and stock purchases and
         redemptions], or (iv) for any transaction from which the director
         derived an improper personal benefit. No such provision shall eliminate
         or limit the liability of a director for any act or omission occurring
         prior to the date when such provision becomes effective...."

         The DGCL further empowers the board of directors of the Registrant to
make other indemnification as authorized under the provisions of the restated
certificate of incorporation or


                                      II-2
<PAGE>   5

bylaws, corporate resolution or agreement so long as the indemnification is
consistent with the DGCL.

         The Registrant's restated certificate of incorporation provides that,
to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, a director of the Registrant will
not be liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for
breach of fiduciary duty as a director. The Registrant's bylaws provide that to
the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant is
successful on the merits of defense of a suit or proceeding brought against him
by reason of his position within the Registrant, he shall be indemnified against
expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred in
connection with such action. In other circumstances, a director, officer
employee or agent of the Registrant may be indemnified against expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement
actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or
proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to
be in and not opposed to the best interest of the Registrant, and, with respect
to a criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his
conduct was unlawful; however, in an action or suit by or in the right of the
Registrant to procure a judgment in its favor, such person will not be
indemnified if he has been adjudged to be liable to the Registrant unless and
only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which
such action or suit was brought determines upon application that, despite the
adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such
person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which
the Court of Chancery or such other court deems proper. A determination that
indemnification is proper will be made by a majority of the Registrant's
disinterested directors, by independent legal counsel or by the stockholders of
the Registrant. The Registrant's bylaws also provide that the Registrant may
advance the payment of expenses and that the indemnification and advancement of
expense provisions of the bylaws are nonexclusive. The Registrant maintains
director and officer liability insurance covering director and officer
indemnification.

         In addition, in the Agreement and Plan of Merger between Patterson
Energy, Inc. and UTI Energy Corp. dated as of February 4, 2001, pursuant to
which UTI Energy Corp. ("UTI") merged with and into Patterson Energy, Inc.
("Patterson") with the Registrant as the surviving corporation ("Merger"), the
Registrant agreed to indemnify the former officers and directors of UTI from
liabilities arising out of actions or omissions in their capacity as such prior
to the effective time of the Merger, and advance reasonable litigation expenses
incurred in connection with such actions or omissions, to the full extent
permitted under UTI's certificate of incorporation and bylaws. Further, for a
period of six years after the effective time of the Merger, the Registrant will
provide UTI's officers and directors with an insurance and indemnification
policy that provides coverage through the effective time of the Merger; provided
that the maximum aggregate amount of premiums that the Registrant will be
required to pay to provide and maintain this coverage does not exceed $300,000
per year.


                                      II-3
<PAGE>   6

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

       Not Applicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

       The Exhibits listed in the accompanying Exhibit Index are filed or
incorporated by reference as part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

A. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) to include any
prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; (ii) to reflect
in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the
registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof)
which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any decrease or increase in volume of securities offered (if the
total dollar value of the securities offered would not exceed that which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or the high end of the estimated
maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of a prospectus filed with
the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in
volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate
offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in this
Registration Statement; and (iii) to include any material information with
respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
statement or any material change to such information in the registration
statement; provided, however, that clauses (i) and (ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
clauses is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act") that are
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement;

         (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof; and

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered that remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

B. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.


                                      II-4
<PAGE>   7

C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 6 above or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, 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 the City of Snyder, State of Texas, on the 17th day of August,
2001.


                                            PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.



                                            By:      /s/ Cloyce A. Talbott
                                               ---------------------------------
                                                   Cloyce A. Talbott
                                                   Chief Executive Officer

       KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Cloyce A. Talbott and A. Glenn Patterson, or
either of them, severally, as his/her attorney-in-fact and agent, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, for him/her and in his/her name,
place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all post-effective
amendments to this Registration Statement, and to file the same with all
exhibits hereto, and all other documents in connection herewith, with the
Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, and either of them,
full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all
intents and purposes as he/she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, or
their or his substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


                                      II-5
<PAGE>   8

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated
on the 17th day of August, 2001.

<Table>
<Caption>
                  SIGNATURE                                                      TITLE
                  ---------                                                      -----
<S>                                                          <C>
            /s/ Cloyce A. Talbott                            Chief Executive Officer, Director (principal
--------------------------------------------                 executive officer)
              Cloyce A. Talbott

            /s/ Jonathan D. Nelson                           Vice President-Finance, Chief Financial
--------------------------------------------                 Officer, Secretary, Treasurer (principal
             Jonathan D. Nelson                              financial officer and principal accounting
                                                             officer)

                                                             Chairman of the Board, Director
--------------------------------------------
              Mark S. Siegel

           /s/ A. Glenn Patterson                            President; Chief Operating Officer, Director
--------------------------------------------
             A. Glenn Patterson

                                                             Director
--------------------------------------------
            Spencer D. Armour, III

                                                             Director
--------------------------------------------
              Kenneth N. Berns

                                                             Director
--------------------------------------------
             Stephen J. DeGroat

              /s/ Vaughn E. Drum                             Director
--------------------------------------------
                Vaughn E. Drum

                                                             Director
--------------------------------------------
               Robert C. Gist

               /s/ Curtis W. Huff                            Director
--------------------------------------------
                Curtis W. Huff

              /s/ Kenneth R. Peak                            Director
--------------------------------------------
               Kenneth R. Peak

              /s/ Nadine C. Smith                            Director
--------------------------------------------
               Nadine C. Smith
</Table>


                                      II-6
<PAGE>   9

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<Table>
<Caption>
        EXHIBIT
        NUMBER      DESCRIPTION
        -------     -----------
<S>                 <C>
          4.1       Restated Certificate of Incorporation (1)

          4.2       Bylaws (2)

          4.3       Stockholder Rights Plan dated January 2, 1997 between Patterson Energy, Inc.
                    and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as rights agent (3)

          4.4       2001 Long-Term Incentive Plan of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

          5.1       Opinion of Baker & Hostetler LLP

         15.1       Awareness Letter of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

         23.1       Consent of Independent Accountants, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

         23.2       Consent of M. Brian Wallace, Independent Petroleum Engineer

         23.3       Consent of Baker & Hostetler LLP (4)

         24.1       Power of Attorney (5)
</Table>

(1)      Incorporated herein by reference to Item 7, "Financial Statements and
         Exhibits" to Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on
         May 8, 2001.

(2)      Incorporated herein by reference to Item 27, "Exhibits" to Amendment
         No. 2 to Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 33-68058-FW);
         filed October 28, 1993.

(3)      Incorporated herein by reference to Item 2, "Exhibits" to Registration
         Statement on Form 8-A; filed January 14, 1997.

(4)      Included in Opinion of Baker & Hostetler, LLP filed as Exhibit 5.1.

(5)      Included in the signature page to this Registration Statement.
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "d89229s-8.txt", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 25651}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "PATTERSON UTI ENERGY INC", "cik": "0000889900", "assigned-sic": "1381", "irs-number": "752504748", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-67810", "film-number": "1717993"}, "business-address": {"street1": "4510 LAMESA HWY", "street2": "P O DRAWER 1416", "city": "SNYDER", "state": "TX", "zip": "79549", "phone": "9155731104"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "P O DRAWER 1416", "city": "SNYDER", "state": "TX", "zip": "79550"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "PATTERSON ENERGY INC", "date-changed": "19940228"}}
1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 17, 2001
                                                         Registration No. ______

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933

                                   ----------

                           PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware                                              75-2504748
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

        4510 Lamesa Highway, Snyder, Texas                                      79549
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                                (Zip Code)
----------

           2001 LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN OF PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.
                           (Full title of the plan(s))

                                   ----------

                                Cloyce A. Talbott
                             Chief Executive Officer
                           Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
                    4510 Lamesa Highway, Snyder, Texas 79549
                                 (915) 573-1104
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:
Jonathan D. Nelson                                           Thomas H. Maxfield, Esq.
   Chief Financial Officer and Vice President - Finance         Baker & Hostetler LLP
   4510 Lamesa Highway                                          303 East Seventeenth Avenue
   Snyder, Texas  79549                                         Suite 1100
                                                                Denver, Colorado  80203
----------

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
==================================================================================================================================
                                                         Proposed maximum
   Title of securities to          Amount to be          offering price per     Proposed maximum aggregate         Amount of
         registered               registered (1)             share (2)              offering price (2)        registration fee (2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, par value
$.01 per share                       2,000,000                $15.325                   $30,650,000                  $7,663
==================================================================================================================================
(1)      The number of shares of common stock, par value $.01 per share, stated
         above ("Common Stock") consists of the aggregate number of shares which
         may be sold under 2001 Long-Term Incentive Plan of Patterson-UTI
         Energy, Inc. (the "Plan"). The maximum number of shares which may be
         sold upon exercise of options granted under the Plan are subject to (i)
         adjustment in accordance with the anti-dilution and other provisions of
         the Plan ("Plan Provisions"); and (ii) the Stockholder Rights Plan
         dated January 2, 1997 between Patterson Energy, Inc. and Continental
         Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as rights agent ("Rights Agreement").
         Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 416 promulgated under the Securities Act
         of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), this Registration Statement
         covers, in addition to the number of shares stated above, an
         indeterminate number of shares which may be subject to grant or
         otherwise issuable after the operation of any Plan Provision and/or the
         Rights Agreement.

(2)      Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(c), based upon the average of the high
         and low sales price per share of Common Stock of Patterson-UTI Energy,
         Inc. (the "Registrant") on the NASDAQ National Market Issues Reports as
         of a date (August 13, 2001) within five (5) business days prior to
         filing this Registration Statement.
2

                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

         The document(s) containing the information required by Part I will be
sent or given to employees as specified by Rule 428(b). Such documents are not
being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") either as
part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements
pursuant to Rule 424. Such documents and the documents incorporated by reference
in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II to this Form S-8,
taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section
10(a) of the Securities Act.

                                      I-1
3
                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

         All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), subsequent to the date of the filing of this Registration
Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment indicating that
all securities registered hereunder have been sold, or that deregisters all
securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by
reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date
of the filing of such documents. The documents listed in (a) through (l) below
are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

         (a)      The Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Registrant for the
                  fiscal year ended December 31, 2000, filed with the Commission
                  on March 2, 2001;

         (b)      Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended March 31, 2001, filed with the Commission on May 7,
                  2001;

         (c)      Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                  ended June 30, 2001, filed with the Commission on August 1,
                  2001;

         (d)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 5, 2001
                  and filed with the Commission on February 6, 2001;

         (e)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 4, 2001
                  and filed with the Commission on February 16, 2001;

         (f)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated March 27, 2001
                  and filed with the Commission on March 27, 2001;

         (g)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 19, 2001
                  and filed with the Commission on April 23, 2001;

         (h)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 8, 2001 and
                  filed with the Commission on May 8, 2001;

         (i)      Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 8, 2001 and
                  filed with the Commission on July 23, 2001;

         (j)      All other reports filed by the Registrant or Patterson Energy,
                  Inc. with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of
                  the Exchange Act since December 31, 2000;

         (k)      Description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained in the
                  Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, which became
                  effective with the Commission on November 2, 1993; and

                                      II-1
4

         (l)      Description of the Registrant's Preferred Stock Purchase
                  Rights contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on
                  Form 8-A, which became effective on January 14, 1997.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

         Not Applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTEREST OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

         The validity of the shares of the Registrant's Common Stock offered
hereby are being passed upon for the Registrant by Baker & Hostetler, LLP,
counsel to the Registrant. Members of that firm currently own 7,000 shares of
the Registrant's Common Stock.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

         The Delaware General Corporation Law ("DGCL") allows a corporation to
indemnify directors, officers, employees and agents for costs and expenses
incurred by or in connection with an action, suit or proceeding brought by
reason of their position as a director, officer employee or agent. The person
indemnified must have acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed
to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. The DGCL
provides that a corporation may advance payment of expenses under certain
circumstances. The DGCL further provides that the indemnification and
advancement of expenses provisions of the DGCL will not be deemed exclusive of
any other rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses to which
directors, officers, employees and agents may be entitled under bylaw,
agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as
to action in such person's official capacity and as to action in another
capacity while holding such office.

         In addition to the general indemnification section, Delaware law
provides further protection for directors under Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL.
This section allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of
incorporation a provision that eliminates or limits the personal liability of a
director for monetary damages for breaches of the director's fiduciary duty of
care, provided that any such provision does not (in the words of the statute) do
any of the following:

         "eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of
         the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders,
         (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve
         intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under
         Section 174 of this Title [dealing with willful or negligent violation
         of the statutory provision concerning dividends and stock purchases and
         redemptions], or (iv) for any transaction from which the director
         derived an improper personal benefit. No such provision shall eliminate
         or limit the liability of a director for any act or omission occurring
         prior to the date when such provision becomes effective...."

         The DGCL further empowers the board of directors of the Registrant to
make other indemnification as authorized under the provisions of the restated
certificate of incorporation or

                                      II-2
5

bylaws, corporate resolution or agreement so long as the indemnification is
consistent with the DGCL.

         The Registrant's restated certificate of incorporation provides that,
to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, a director of the Registrant will
not be liable to the Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for
breach of fiduciary duty as a director. The Registrant's bylaws provide that to
the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant is
successful on the merits of defense of a suit or proceeding brought against him
by reason of his position within the Registrant, he shall be indemnified against
expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred in
connection with such action. In other circumstances, a director, officer
employee or agent of the Registrant may be indemnified against expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement
actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or
proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to
be in and not opposed to the best interest of the Registrant, and, with respect
to a criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his
conduct was unlawful; however, in an action or suit by or in the right of the
Registrant to procure a judgment in its favor, such person will not be
indemnified if he has been adjudged to be liable to the Registrant unless and
only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or the court in which
such action or suit was brought determines upon application that, despite the
adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such
person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which
the Court of Chancery or such other court deems proper. A determination that
indemnification is proper will be made by a majority of the Registrant's
disinterested directors, by independent legal counsel or by the stockholders of
the Registrant. The Registrant's bylaws also provide that the Registrant may
advance the payment of expenses and that the indemnification and advancement of
expense provisions of the bylaws are nonexclusive. The Registrant maintains
director and officer liability insurance covering director and officer
indemnification.

         In addition, in the Agreement and Plan of Merger between Patterson
Energy, Inc. and UTI Energy Corp. dated as of February 4, 2001, pursuant to
which UTI Energy Corp. ("UTI") merged with and into Patterson Energy, Inc.
("Patterson") with the Registrant as the surviving corporation ("Merger"), the
Registrant agreed to indemnify the former officers and directors of UTI from
liabilities arising out of actions or omissions in their capacity as such prior
to the effective time of the Merger, and advance reasonable litigation expenses
incurred in connection with such actions or omissions, to the full extent
permitted under UTI's certificate of incorporation and bylaws. Further, for a
period of six years after the effective time of the Merger, the Registrant will
provide UTI's officers and directors with an insurance and indemnification
policy that provides coverage through the effective time of the Merger; provided
that the maximum aggregate amount of premiums that the Registrant will be
required to pay to provide and maintain this coverage does not exceed $300,000
per year.

                                      II-3
6

ITEM 7. EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

       Not Applicable.

ITEM 8. EXHIBITS.

       The Exhibits listed in the accompanying Exhibit Index are filed or
incorporated by reference as part of this Registration Statement.

ITEM 9. UNDERTAKINGS.

A. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) to include any
prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; (ii) to reflect
in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the
registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof)
which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any decrease or increase in volume of securities offered (if the
total dollar value of the securities offered would not exceed that which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or the high end of the estimated
maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of a prospectus filed with
the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in
volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate
offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in this
Registration Statement; and (iii) to include any material information with
respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration
statement or any material change to such information in the registration
statement; provided, however, that clauses (i) and (ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
clauses is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act") that are
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement;

         (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof; and

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered that remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

B. The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

                                      II-4
7

C. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the provisions described under Item 6 above or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and
is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, 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 the City of Snyder, State of Texas, on the 17th day of August,
2001.

                                            PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.

                                            By:      /s/ Cloyce A. Talbott
                                               ---------------------------------
                                                   Cloyce A. Talbott
                                                   Chief Executive Officer

       KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Cloyce A. Talbott and A. Glenn Patterson, or
either of them, severally, as his/her attorney-in-fact and agent, with full
power of substitution and resubstitution, for him/her and in his/her name,
place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all post-effective
amendments to this Registration Statement, and to file the same with all
exhibits hereto, and all other documents in connection herewith, with the
Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, and either of them,
full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite or necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all
intents and purposes as he/she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and
confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, or
their or his substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

                                      II-5
8

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated
on the 17th day of August, 2001.
SIGNATURE                                                      TITLE
                  ---------                                                      -----
/s/ Cloyce A. Talbott                            Chief Executive Officer, Director (principal
--------------------------------------------                 executive officer)
              Cloyce A. Talbott

            /s/ Jonathan D. Nelson                           Vice President-Finance, Chief Financial
--------------------------------------------                 Officer, Secretary, Treasurer (principal
             Jonathan D. Nelson                              financial officer and principal accounting
                                                             officer)

                                                             Chairman of the Board, Director
--------------------------------------------
              Mark S. Siegel

           /s/ A. Glenn Patterson                            President; Chief Operating Officer, Director
--------------------------------------------
             A. Glenn Patterson

                                                             Director
--------------------------------------------
            Spencer D. Armour, III

                                                             Director
--------------------------------------------
              Kenneth N. Berns

                                                             Director
--------------------------------------------
             Stephen J. DeGroat

              /s/ Vaughn E. Drum                             Director
--------------------------------------------
                Vaughn E. Drum

                                                             Director
--------------------------------------------
               Robert C. Gist

               /s/ Curtis W. Huff                            Director
--------------------------------------------
                Curtis W. Huff

              /s/ Kenneth R. Peak                            Director
--------------------------------------------
               Kenneth R. Peak

              /s/ Nadine C. Smith                            Director
--------------------------------------------
               Nadine C. Smith
II-6
9

                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS
EXHIBIT
        NUMBER      DESCRIPTION
        -------     -----------
4.1       Restated Certificate of Incorporation (1)

          4.2       Bylaws (2)

          4.3       Stockholder Rights Plan dated January 2, 1997 between Patterson Energy, Inc.
                    and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as rights agent (3)

          4.4       2001 Long-Term Incentive Plan of Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

          5.1       Opinion of Baker & Hostetler LLP

         15.1       Awareness Letter of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

         23.1       Consent of Independent Accountants, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

         23.2       Consent of M. Brian Wallace, Independent Petroleum Engineer

         23.3       Consent of Baker & Hostetler LLP (4)

         24.1       Power of Attorney (5)
(1)      Incorporated herein by reference to Item 7, "Financial Statements and
         Exhibits" to Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on
         May 8, 2001.

(2)      Incorporated herein by reference to Item 27, "Exhibits" to Amendment
         No. 2 to Registration Statement on Form SB-2 (File No. 33-68058-FW);
         filed October 28, 1993.

(3)      Incorporated herein by reference to Item 2, "Exhibits" to Registration
         Statement on Form 8-A; filed January 14, 1997.

(4)      Included in Opinion of Baker & Hostetler, LLP filed as Exhibit 5.1.

(5)      Included in the signature page to this Registration Statement.