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  <TITLE> Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (Form: 8-K) </TITLE>
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  		UNITED STATES<BR>
  	SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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  	WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
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  	FORM 8-K
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  	CURRENT REPORT
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  	Pursuant to Section&nbsp;13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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  	Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):
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  	&nbsp;
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  	March 17, 2006
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  	Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
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  <BR>__________________________________________<BR>
  	(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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  	Delaware
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  	0-22664
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  	75-2504748
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  _____________________<BR>
  	(State or other jurisdiction
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  _____________<BR>
  	(Commission
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  ______________<BR>
  	(I.R.S. Employer
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  	of incorporation)
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  	File Number)
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  	Identification No.)
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  	4510 Lamesa Hwy., Snyder, Texas
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  	79549
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  _________________________________<BR>
  	(Address of principal executive offices)
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  	&nbsp;
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  ___________<BR>
  	(Zip Code)
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  	Registrant&#146;s telephone number, including area code:
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  	325-574-6300
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  	Not Applicable
  <BR>______________________________________________<BR>
  	Former name or former address, if changed since last report
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  	&nbsp;
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  <!-- CoverPageRegistrant END --><P><FONT SIZE="2">
  Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
  simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any
  of the following provisions:</FONT>
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  <P><FONT SIZE="2">
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)<br>
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<br>
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<br>
  [&nbsp;&nbsp;]&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))<br>
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  <B>
  	Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
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    On March 17, 2006, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (the "Company") filed a Form 12b-25 Notification of Late Filing with respect to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2005 in which it stated pursuant to the requirements of the Form that it believes that fully diluted earnings per share will be approximately $2.15 for fiscal 2005 as compared with diluted earnings per share of $.56 for fiscal 2004.<br><br>
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  	Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
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  (c) The following exhibit is furnished herewith:<br><br>        99.1  Press Release dated March 17, 2006.
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  <BR><BR><BR><BR><P ALIGN="LEFT" STYLE="FONT-SIZE: 10PT">  The information in this report is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall not otherwise be subject to the liabilities of that section and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.</P><!-- PageBreak START -->
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  	SIGNATURES
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  	Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  	registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  	undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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  	Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
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  	&nbsp;&nbsp;
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  <I>
  	March 20, 2006
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  	By:
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  <I>
  	/s/ John E. Vollmer III
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  <I>
  	Name: John E. Vollmer III
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  <I>
  	Title: Senior Vice President - Corporate Development, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer
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  	Exhibit&nbsp;Index
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  	Exhibit No.
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  	99.1
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  	&nbsp;
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  <FONT SIZE="2">
  Patterson-UTI Announces Completion of Audit Committee Investigation into Prior Embezzlement, Filing of Restated 2004 Annual Report on Form 10-K/A and Extension of Time for Filing 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K; Extension Filing Gives Indication of 2005 Earnings
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metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "htm_11074.htm", "description": "LIVE FILING", "secsgml_size_bytes": 10796}]
metadata_filer: {"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": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-22664", "film-number": "06699409"}, "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"}}
text: Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (Form: 8-K)
  UNITED STATES
  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  FORM 8-K
  CURRENT REPORT
  Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported):
  March 17, 2006
  Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
  __________________________________________
  (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  Delaware
  0-22664
  75-2504748
  _____________________
  (State or other jurisdiction
  _____________
  (Commission
  ______________
  (I.R.S. Employer
  of incorporation)
  File Number)
  Identification No.)
  4510 Lamesa Hwy., Snyder, Texas
  79549
  _________________________________
  (Address of principal executive offices)
  ___________
  (Zip Code)
  Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
  325-574-6300
  Not Applicable
  ______________________________________________
  Former name or former address, if changed since last report
  Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
  simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any
  of the following provisions:
  [  ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
  [  ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
  [  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
  [  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
  Top of the Form
  Item 2.02 Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
  On March 17, 2006, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. (the "Company") filed a Form 12b-25 Notification of Late Filing with respect to its Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal 2005 in which it stated pursuant to the requirements of the Form that it believes that fully diluted earnings per share will be approximately $2.15 for fiscal 2005 as compared with diluted earnings per share of $.56 for fiscal 2004.
  Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
  (c) The following exhibit is furnished herewith:
  99.1  Press Release dated March 17, 2006.
  The information in this report is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, shall not otherwise be subject to the liabilities of that section and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
  Top of the Form
  SIGNATURES
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  	registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  	undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
  March 20, 2006
  By:
  /s/ John E. Vollmer III
  Name: John E. Vollmer III
  Title: Senior Vice President - Corporate Development, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer
  Top of the Form
  Exhibit Index
  Exhibit No.
  Description
  99.1
  Patterson-UTI Announces Completion of Audit Committee Investigation into Prior Embezzlement, Filing of Restated 2004 Annual Report on Form 10-K/A and Extension of Time for Filing 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K; Extension Filing Gives Indication of 2005 Earnings