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:                          MAY 1, 2001
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Date of earliest event reported:         APRIL 30, 2001
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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)


41411.0003

                    INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT

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

           (c)       Exhibits.

    Exhibit Number          Description
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         99.1               Rig Status Report as of April 30, 2001


ITEM 9.  REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE

         The Registrant hereby incorporates by reference into this Item 9 the
summary report of the status, as of April 30, 2001, of the offshore drilling
rigs of the Registrant attached as Exhibit 99.1, which is being furnished in
accordance with Rule 101(e)(1) under Regulation FD and shall not be deemed to be
filed.

         Statements in this report that contain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the current term, start
and end dates and comments concerning future contracts and availability and
other aspects of the Registrant'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 Registrant's overall business
and financial performance can be found in the Registrant'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
Registrant'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 the rig status report, and the
Registrant undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements.




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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
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                                         Gary T. Krenek
                                         Vice President and
                                           Chief Financial Officer


Dated: April 30, 2001













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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


       Exhibit number          Description
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           99.1                Rig Status Report as of April 30, 2001


















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