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<TITLE>Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance</TITLE>
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<P style="font-size: 14pt" align="center"><B>UNITED STATES<BR>
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION<BR>
<FONT
style="font-size: 12pt">Washington, D.C. 20549 </FONT></B>

<P style="font-size: 18pt" align="center"><B>FORM 8-K</B>

<P style="font-size: 12pt" align="center"><B>CURRENT REPORT<BR>
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 22, 2008</B>

<P style="font-size: 24pt" align="center"><B>NOBLE CORPORATION<BR>
</B><FONT style="font-size: 10pt">(Exact name of
registrant as specified in its charter) </FONT>
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  <TD width="32%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="33%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="32%">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>Cayman Islands</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>001-31306</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>98-0366361</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="top">
  <TD>(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(Commission File Number)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(IRS Employer Identification No.)</TD>
 </TR>

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  <TD width="49%">&nbsp;</TD>
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  <TD width="49%">&nbsp;</TD>
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 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>13135 South Dairy Ashford, Suite 800<BR>
Sugar Land,
Texas<BR>
</B></TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid"><B>77478</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="top">
  <TD>(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>(Zip Code)</TD>
 </TR>

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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">Registrant&#8217;s telephone number, including area code: <B>(281)
276-6100</B>
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  <TD style="border-bottom: #000000 1px solid" nowrap><B>&nbsp;</B></TD>
 </TR>
 <TR>
  <TD nowrap>(Former name or former address if changed since last report.)</TD>
 </TR>

</TABLE>


<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left">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:

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="left"><FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Written communications pursuant to Rule 425
under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)<BR>
<BR>
<FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Soliciting material pursuant to Rule
14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)<BR>
<BR>
<FONT face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))<BR>
<BR>
<FONT
face="Wingdings">o</FONT> Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))<BR>


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<P style="display: none; font-size: 10pt" align="center">1
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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="justify"><B>ITEM 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="justify">This report is furnished in accordance with General
Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K.

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="justify">On October&nbsp;22, 2008, the Registrant issued a press
release announcing its financial results for the quarter ended September&nbsp;30, 2008. A copy of such press release is
included as Exhibit&nbsp;99.1 and will be published in the &#8220;Newsroom&#8221; area on the Registrant&#8217;s Web
site at http://www.noblecorp.com. Pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the
press release is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be &#8220;filed&#8221; under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="justify"><B>ITEM 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.</B>

<P>
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  <TD style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%" width="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD nowrap align="left" width="3%">(c)</TD>
  <TD width="1%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>
<DIV style="text-align: justify">Exhibits</DIV>
</TD>
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  <TD style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%" width="10%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD nowrap align="left" width="4%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD nowrap width="1%">Exhibit&nbsp;99.1&nbsp;&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD>
<DIV style="text-align: justify">Noble Corporation Press Release dated October&nbsp;22, 2008,
announcing the financial results for the quarter ended September&nbsp;30, 2008.</DIV>
</TD>
 </TR>

</TABLE>


<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">2
<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;
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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>SIGNATURES</B>

<P style="font-size: 10pt; text-indent: 4%" align="justify">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.

<P style="font-size: 10pt; margin-left: 46%" align="justify">NOBLE CORPORATION

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="justify">Date: October&nbsp;22, 2008

<P style="margin-top: -11pt; font-size: 10pt; margin-left: 46%" align="justify">By: <U>/s/ THOMAS L.
MITCHELL&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U>
<BR>
Thomas L. Mitchell, <BR>
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,<BR>
Treasurer and Controller

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

<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center">&nbsp;
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<P style="font-size: 10pt" align="center"><B>INDEX TO EXHIBITS</B>
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  <TD width="6%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="5%">&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD width="79%">&nbsp;</TD>
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  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">Exhibit&nbsp;No. </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Description</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR style="font-size: 1px">
  <TD style="border-top: #000000 1px solid" valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">&nbsp;</DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD style="border-top: #000000 1px solid" valign="top" align="left">&nbsp;</TD>
 </TR>
 <TR valign="bottom">
  <TD valign="top">
<DIV style="margin-left: 0px; text-indent: 0px">Exhibit&nbsp;99.1 </DIV>
</TD>
  <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
  <TD valign="top" align="left">Noble Corporation Press Release dated October&nbsp;22, 2008, announcing the financial
results for the quarter ended September 30, 2008.</TD>
 </TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->

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</DIV>

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

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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "NOBLE CORP", "cik": "0001169055", "assigned-sic": "1381", "irs-number": "980366361", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-31306", "film-number": "081135948"}, "business-address": {"street1": "13135 S DAIRY ASHFORD", "city": "SUGAR LAND", "state": "TX", "zip": "77478", "phone": "281 276 6100"}}
Filed by Bowne Pure Compliance
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): October 22, 2008
NOBLE CORPORATION
(Exact name of
registrant as specified in its charter)
Cayman Islands
001-31306
98-0366361
(State or other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(IRS Employer Identification No.)
13135 South Dairy Ashford, Suite 800
Sugar Land,
Texas
77478
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
(281)
276-6100
(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:
o
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425
under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
o
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule
14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
o
Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
o
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
ITEM 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.
This report is furnished in accordance with General
Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K.
On October 22, 2008, the Registrant issued a press
release announcing its financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2008. A copy of such press release is
included as Exhibit 99.1 and will be published in the "Newsroom" area on the Registrant's Web
site at http://www.noblecorp.com. Pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the
press release is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be "filed" under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
ITEM 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(c)
Exhibits
Exhibit 99.1
Noble Corporation Press Release dated October 22, 2008,
announcing the financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2008.
2
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.
NOBLE CORPORATION
Date: October 22, 2008
By:
/s/ THOMAS L.
MITCHELL
Thomas L. Mitchell,
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,
Treasurer and Controller
3
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit No.
Description
Exhibit 99.1
Noble Corporation Press Release dated October 22, 2008, announcing the financial
results for the quarter ended September 30, 2008.