SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549


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                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of report:                              APRIL 25, 2002
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Date of earliest event reported:             APRIL 22, 2002
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                         DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING, INC.
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               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)



    DELAWARE                         1-13926                    76-0321760
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(State or Other              (Commission File Number)          (IRS Employer
  Jurisdiction                                               Identification No.)
of Incorporation)


15415 KATY FREEWAY, HOUSTON, TEXAS                                77094
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(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                        (Zip Code)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code         (281) 492-5300
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                                 NOT APPLICABLE
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          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


                    INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT


ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

         On April 25, 2002, Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), issued a press release announcing that the
Company's drilling rig the Ocean Baroness had experienced a parting of its
marine riser during operations offshore Malaysia on April 22, 2002. The drilling
unit is undamaged, and currently known damage is limited to subsurface elements
of the riser. The Company is currently in consultation with the riser
manufacturer, its customer and several contractors in order to develop a
recovery and repair plan. At this time, the Company cannot be definitive about
the duration of its recovery and remediation efforts. Filed herewith is such
press release.

         Statements in this report that contain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, may include, but
are not limited to, statements regarding the current term, operating dates and
periods of inactivity of the Company's drilling rigs and comments concerning
future contracts and availability, insurance, actual or potential damage,
recovery and remediation efforts and other aspects of the Company's drilling
rigs. Such statements are inherently subject to a variety of risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those
anticipated or projected. A discussion of the risk factors that could impact
these areas and the Company's overall business and financial performance can be
found in the Company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. These factors include, among others, general economic and business
conditions, casualty losses, industry fleet capacity, changes in foreign and
domestic oil and gas exploration and production activity, competition, changes
in foreign, political, social and economic conditions, regulatory initiatives
and compliance with governmental regulations, customer preferences and various
other matters, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Given these
concerns, investors and analysts should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the
date of this report, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update
or revise any forward-looking statements.


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS

           (c)       Exhibits.

       Exhibit number          Description
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           99.1                Press release of April 25, 2002


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                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                    DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING, INC.

                                    By: /s/ Gary T. Krenek
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        Gary T. Krenek
                                        Vice President & Chief Financial Officer

Dated: April 25, 2002















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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


       Exhibit number          Description
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           99.1                Press release of April 25, 2002
















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