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Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter/Year End 2004 Results

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 9, 2005--Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. (NYSE:DO) today reported net income for the fourth quarter of 2004 of $11.3 million, or $0.09 per share on a diluted basis, compared with net income of $1.3 million, or $0.01 per share on a diluted basis, in the same period a year earlier. Revenues for the fourth quarter of 2004 were $237.3 million, compared with revenues of $187.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2003.

Pretax results for the fourth quarter included other income of $11.4 million resulting from the settlement of a lawsuit against an equipment manufacturer. Significant items offsetting pretax income included revenue reductions of $7.2 million related to downtime from storm damage, $8.6 million in reactivation costs and operating expense to bring the mid-water semisubmersible Ocean Voyager out of cold-stack, and $3.4 million related to a combination of storm damage and higher operating costs due to the relocation of the Ocean Vanguard to Norway. The Company also recorded an additional charge to tax expense in the fourth quarter that was $3.8 million higher than the effective 27.7% tax rate experienced in the third quarter and anticipated for the fourth quarter of 2004. The increased charge resulted from a change in the mix between domestic and international earnings as well as a change in the mix of international tax jurisdictions during the quarter.

For the year ended Dec. 31, 2004, the Company reported a net loss of $7.2 million, or $0.06 per share on a diluted basis, compared with a net loss of $48.4 million, or $0.37 per share on a diluted basis, for the year ended Dec. 31, 2003. Revenue for the year ended Dec. 31, 2004 was $814.7 million, compared with $680.9 million for the year 2003.

The overall market for the Company's drilling rigs continued to improve in the fourth quarter of 2004 and early in 2005. Particular strength was evident in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and the Southeast Asia floater markets, where effective industry utilization is near 100%. In the GOM, the dayrate on one of our mid-water semisubmersibles has reached $110,000 for work beginning in early June 2005. In addition, dayrates for work commencing in the third quarter of 2005 on two of Diamond Offshore's 4th generation semisubmersibles located in the GOM are at $150,000 per day. The market for jack-up rigs in the GOM has also continued to improve, with dayrates for the Company's 300-ft. units in the high $40,000s to low $50,000s and dayrates for our 350-ft. jack-ups in the mid $50,000s. Additionally, as previously announced, the Company has signed two Letters of Intent (LOI) for contracts totaling approximately $243 million and covering a total of 1,315 days for the 5th generation semisubmersibles Ocean Baroness and Ocean Rover. Both contracts are expected to commence late in the third quarter or early in the fourth quarter of 2005. Under the LOIs, the Ocean Baroness is expected to relocate to the GOM, while the Ocean Rover would remain in Southeast Asia.

Larry Dickerson, president and chief operating officer, said, "We remain confident in the strength of our markets in 2005 and are encouraged as we begin to build backlog extending into 2006, 2007 and beyond."

Diamond Offshore provides contract drilling services to the energy industry around the globe and is a leader in deepwater drilling. The Company's fleet of 45 offshore drilling rigs consists of 30 semisubmersibles, 14 jack-ups and one drillship.

As previously announced, Diamond Offshore will provide a simulcast and rebroadcast of its fourth quarter and year end 2004 earnings release conference call. The live broadcast of the Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc. quarterly conference call will be available online at www.diamondoffshore.com on Feb. 9, 2005, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Central time. The online replay will follow immediately and continue for the remainder of the first calendar quarter after the original call. Please go to the Web site at least 15 minutes before the broadcast to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

Statements in this press release may 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. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning commitments for drilling work or contracts, future dayrates, future contract revenues and future contracts. 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, including the risk that a Letter of Intent may not result in a binding contract or the risk that the markets for the Company's services will not continue to improve. A discussion of additional risk factors that could impact these areas and the Company's overall business and financial performance can be found in the Company's reports and other filings 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 press release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based.



            DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   AVERAGE DAYRATES AND UTILIZATION

                 Fourth Quarter    Third Quarter     Fourth Quarter
                     2004              2004              2003
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Utili-            Utili-            Utili-
                Dayrate  zation   Dayrate  zation   Dayrate  zation
---------------------------------------------------------------------
                               (Dayrate in thousands)
High
 Specification
 Floaters        $94       95%     $92       89%     $97       84%
Other
 Semi-
 submersibles    $63       81%     $55       75%     $56       69%
Jack-ups         $42       88%     $40       89%     $30       72%


            DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                 (In thousands, except per share data)

                               Three Months Ended  Twelve Months Ended
                                  December 31,        December 31,
                              ----------------------------------------
                                2004       2003      2004      2003
                              ----------------------------------------
Revenues:
  Contract drilling           $227,870  $180,278  $782,405  $652,098
  Revenues related to
   reimbursable expenses         9,450     7,407    32,257    28,843
                              --------- --------- --------- ---------
    Total revenues             237,320   187,685   814,662   680,941
                              --------- --------- --------- ---------

Operating expenses:
  Contract drilling            159,860   122,629   568,628   487,839
  Reimbursable expenses          8,526     6,579    28,899    26,050
  Depreciation                  44,718    43,492   178,835   175,578
  General and administrative     8,482     6,273    32,759    28,868
  Write down of rigs                --        --        --     1,598
  Loss (gain) on sale of
   assets                          272      (522)    1,613      (669)
                              --------- --------- --------- ---------
    Total operating expenses   221,858   178,451   810,734   719,264
                              --------- --------- --------- ---------

Operating income (loss)         15,462     9,234     3,928   (38,323)

Other income (expense):
  Interest income                4,624     1,772    12,205    12,007
  Interest expense              (9,873)   (6,543)  (30,257)  (23,928)
  Gain (loss) on sale of
   marketable securities            23       426       254    (6,884)
  Other, net                    10,670        --    10,337     2,891
                              --------- --------- --------- ---------

Income (loss) before income
 tax (expense) benefit          20,906     4,889    (3,533)  (54,237)

Income tax (expense) benefit    (9,623)   (3,587)   (3,710)    5,823
                              --------- --------- --------- ---------

Net income (loss)              $11,283    $1,302   $(7,243) $(48,414)
                              ========= ========= ========= =========

Earnings (loss) per share:
  Basic                          $0.09     $0.01    $(0.06)   $(0.37)
                              ========= ========= ========= =========
  Diluted                        $0.09     $0.01    $(0.06)   $(0.37)
                              ========= ========= ========= =========

Weighted average shares
 outstanding:
  Shares of common stock       128,545   130,005   129,021   130,253
  Dilutive potential shares of
   common stock                    108        --        --        --
                              --------- --------- --------- ---------
    Total weighted average
     shares outstanding        128,653   130,005   129,021   130,253
                              ========= ========= ========= =========


            DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                         RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
                            (In thousands)

                                             Three Months Ended
                                                December 31,
                                        -----------------------------
                                            2004           2003
                                        -----------------------------

CONTRACT DRILLING REVENUE
  High Specification Floaters                 $82,524        $74,862
  Other Semisubmersibles                       93,433         74,711
  Jack-ups                                     50,000         28,086
  Other                                         1,913          2,619
                                        -----------------------------
Total Contract Drilling Revenue              $227,870       $180,278
                                        =============================

Revenues Related to Reimbursable
 Expenses                                      $9,450         $7,407
                                        =============================
CONTRACT DRILLING EXPENSE
  High Specification Floaters                 $45,347        $40,093
  Other Semisubmersibles                       84,591         59,790
  Jack-ups                                     28,093         22,365
  Integrated Services                              --           (419)
  Other                                         1,829            800
                                        -----------------------------
Total Contract Drilling Expense              $159,860       $122,629
                                        =============================

  Reimbursable Expenses                        $8,526         $6,579
                                        =============================
OPERATING INCOME
  High Specification Floaters                 $37,177        $34,769
  Other Semisubmersibles                        8,842         14,921
  Jack-ups                                     21,907          5,721
  Integrated Services                              --            419
  Other                                            84          1,819
  Reimbursables, net                              924            828
  Depreciation Expense                        (44,718)       (43,492)
  General and Administrative Expense           (8,482)        (6,273)
  (Loss) Gain on Sale and Disposal of
   Assets                                        (272)           522
                                        -----------------------------
Total Operating Income                        $15,462         $9,234
                                        =============================


            DIAMOND OFFSHORE DRILLING INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                            (In thousands)

                                         December 31,   December 31,
                                        -------------- --------------
                                            2004           2003
                                        -------------- --------------
ASSETS

Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents                  $266,007       $106,345
  Investments and marketable securities       661,849        503,995
  Accounts receivable                         187,558        154,124
  Rig inventory and supplies                   47,590         48,035
  Prepaid expenses and other                   32,677         22,764
                                        -------------- --------------
    Total current assets                    1,195,681        835,263

Drilling and other property and
 equipment, net of accumulated
 depreciation                               2,154,593      2,257,876
Goodwill, net of accumulated
 amortization                                      --         11,099
Other assets                                   29,112         30,781
                                        -------------- --------------
    Total assets                           $3,379,386     $3,135,019
                                        ============== ==============

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities:
  Current portion of long-term debt          $484,102        $11,969
  Other current liabilities                   129,805         88,031
                                        -------------- --------------
    Total current liabilities                 613,907        100,000

Long-term debt                                709,413        928,030

Deferred tax liability                        369,722        384,505

Other liabilities                              60,516         42,004

Stockholders' equity                        1,625,828      1,680,480
                                        -------------- --------------
    Total liabilities and stockholders'
     equity                                $3,379,386     $3,135,019
                                        ============== ==============

CONTACT: Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc., Houston
Les Van Dyke, 281-492-5370

SOURCE: Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc.