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:                             AUGUST 9, 2002
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Date of earliest event reported:            AUGUST 9, 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 Jurisdiction      (Commission                 (IRS Employer
    of Incorporation)             File Number)             Identification No.)


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 August 9, 2002, Diamond Offshore Drilling, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), issued a press release announcing that the
Company's jack-up drilling rig the Ocean King had experienced a well control
event and fire while conducting routine operations offshore Louisiana on August
9, 2002. Emergency procedures were initiated and all personnel on board the rig
were safely evacuated to another Company-owned rig in the area. The press
release reported that the fire was put out and that a detailed damage assessment
would be commenced as soon as it was safe to board the vessel. A full evaluation
of any damage or related repairs may take several days to complete. 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,
injuries and pollution, 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 August 9, 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/ William C. Long
                                   --------------------------------------------
                                   William C. Long
                                   Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary

Dated:  August 9, 2002














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                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


       Exhibit number          Description
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           99.1                Press release of August 9, 2002




















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