SHAMROCK HOLDINGS OF CALIFORNIA INC
SC 13D/A, 1997-10-06
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                                UNITED STATES
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 SCHEDULE 13D

         UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 (AMENDMENT NO. 2)*


                               UTI Energy Corp.
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               (Name of Issuer)

                   Common Stock, par value $.001 per share
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        (Title of Class of Securities)

                                 903387 10 8
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (CUSIP Number)

                           Robert G. Moskowitz
                    Shamrock Holdings of California, Inc.
                           4444 Lakeside Drive
                         Burbank, California  91505
                              (818) 845-4444
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Persons Authorized to Receive Notices
                             and Communications)

                               October 6, 1997
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
           (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)


If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G
to report the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D,
and is filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check
the following box |_|.

NOTE: Six copies of this statement, including all exhibits, should be
filed with the Commission. See Rule 13d-1(a) for other parties to whom
copies are to be sent.

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class
of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information
which would alter disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the
liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all
other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).





                                 SCHEDULE 13D
CUSIP No. 903387 10 8

1      NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
       S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

             SHAMROCK HOLDINGS OF CALIFORNIA, INC.

2      CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)
                                                                         (a) |_|
                                                                         (b) |_|
             NOT APPLICABLE
3      SEC USE ONLY



4      SOURCE OF FUNDS (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

             OO

5      CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO
       ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)
           |-|

             NOT APPLICABLE
6      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

             CALIFORNIA

                7      SOLE VOTING POWER
   NUMBER OF
                             133,333
    SHARES

 BENEFICIALLY   8      SHARED VOTING POWER

   OWNED BY                  0

                9      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
     EACH
                             133,333
   REPORTING

    PERSON      10     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

     WITH                    0

11     AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

             133,333

12     CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
       (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)                                                |_|

             NOT APPLICABLE
13     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

             0.8%

14     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

             CO



INTRODUCTION

This statement amends a Schedule 13D filed on September 28, 1995 and amended
on October 13, 1995 (the "Schedule 13D") by Shamrock Holdings of California,
Inc., a California corporation, with respect to shares of Common Stock, par
value $.001 per share, of UTI Energy Corp., a Delaware corporation.


ITEM 1.   SECURITY AND ISSUER.

Item 1 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended to read in full as follows:

           The  securities  to which  this  statement  relates  are  shares of
Common Stock,  par value $.001 per share (the "Shares"),  of UTI Energy Corp.,
a Delaware  corporation  ("UTI").  The principal  executive offices of UTI are
located at 16800 Greenspoint Park, Suite 225N, Houston, Texas 77060.


ITEM 2.   IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND.

Item 2 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended to read in full as follows:

          This statement is being filed by Shamrock Holdings of
California, Inc., a California corporation ("SHOC"). The principal
executive offices of SHOC are located at 4444 Lakeside Drive, Burbank,
California 91505. SHOC is a corporation engaged primarily in real
estate development and the making of investments.

          All of the capital stock of SHOC is owned by Shamrock
Holdings, Inc., a Texas corporation ("SHI"). The principal executive
offices of SHI are located at 4444 Lakeside Drive, Burbank, California
91505. SHI is a holding company primarily engaged in making, holding
and disposing of investments in various industries, principally in the
United States, Israel and Poland.

(a)-(c), (f)     Directors and Executive Officers of SHOC:

          The business address of each of the persons listed below is
4444 Lakeside Drive, Burbank, California 91505. All of the following
persons are citizens and residents of the United States. The names and
principal occupations or employments of the directors and executive
officers of SHOC are as follows:

                                           Principal Occupation
Name                Position               or Employment

Roy E. Disney       Chairman of the Board   Vice Chairman of the Board of
                    of Directors            Directors of the Walt Disney
                                            Company (an international company
                                            engaged in family entertainment,
                                            with its principal executive offices
                                            located at 500 South Buena Vista
                                            Drive, Burbank, California);
                                            Director of Trefoil Investors II,
                                            Inc., a Delaware corporation (with
                                            its principal executive offices
                                            located at 4444 Lakeside Drive,
                                            Burbank, California 91505, organized
                                            to serve as the managing general
                                            partner of Trefoil Capital Investors
                                            II, L.P., a Delaware limited
                                            partnership, an investment
                                            partnership organized to acquire
                                            businesses and to make strategic
                                            investments in debt or equity
                                            securities); Director of Trefoil
                                            Israel, Inc., a Delaware corporation
                                            (with its principal executive
                                            offices located at 4444 Lakeside
                                            Drive, Burbank, California 91505,
                                            organized to serve as the sole
                                            general partner of Trefoil Israel
                                            Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited
                                            partnership, an investment
                                            partnership organized to invest in
                                            Koor Industries Limited); Chairman
                                            of the Board of Directors of SHI
                                            (principal business and address
                                            disclosed herein); Chairman of the
                                            Board of Directors of Shamrock
                                            Capital Advisors, Inc., a Delaware
                                            corporation ("SCA") (a corporation
                                            engaged in the business of providing
                                            management and consulting services
                                            to Trefoil Israel Partners, L.P.,
                                            Trefoil Capital Investors II, L.P.
                                            and businesses in which they invest,
                                            with its principal executive offices
                                            located at 4444 Lakeside Drive,
                                            Burbank, California 91505)

Patricia A. Disney  Vice Chairman of the    Vice Chairman of the Boards of
                    Board of Directors      Directors of SHI and SCA; Director
                                            of Trefoil Investors II, Inc. and
                                            Trefoil Israel, Inc.

Stanley P. Gold     Director and President  Director, President, Treasurer and
                                            Managing Director of SCA; Director
                                            and President of SHI, Trefoil
                                            Investors II, Inc. and Trefoil
                                            Israel, Inc.; Chairman of the Board
                                            of Directors and Chief Executive
                                            Officer of L.A. Gear, Inc. (an
                                            international company engaged in the
                                            design, manufacture and distribution
                                            of casual and athletic-style
                                            footwear, with its principal
                                            executive offices at 2850 Ocean Park
                                            Boulevard, Santa Monica, California
                                            90405); Director of The Walt Disney
                                            Company; Chairman of the Board of
                                            Directors of Koor Industries Limited
                                            (a multi-industry operating company 
                                            and Israel's largest industrial 
                                            group, engaged principally in
                                            telecommunications and electronics,
                                            agrochemicals and other chemicals, 
                                            and building and infrastructure
                                            materials, with its principal
                                            executive offices at 4 Kaufman
                                            Street, Tel Aviv 68012, Israel)

Robert G. Moskowitz Executive Vice          Managing Director and Secretary of
                    President and           SCA; Executive Vice President and
                    Secretary               Secretary of SHI; Vice President
                                            and Secretary of Trefoil Investors
                                            II, Inc. and Trefoil Israel, Inc.;
                                            Director of L.A. Gear, Inc.;
                                            Director of Koor Industries Limited

Geoffrey T. Moore   Vice President          Managing  Director of SCA; Vice
                                            President of Trefoil Investors II,
                                            Inc. and Trefoil Israel, Inc.

Richard Gentilucci  Vice President, Real    Vice President of SCA
                    Estate

George J. Buchler   Vice President, Chief   Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
                    Financial Officer and   of SHI; Treasurer of Trefoil
                    Treasurer               Investors II, Inc. and Trefoil
                                            Israel, Inc.

Katja Eastland      Controller              Controller of SHI


          Directors, Executive Officers and Controlling Persons of SHI:

          The names of the directors, executive officers and controlling persons
of SHI are as follows (whose business addresses, principal occupations or
employments, citizenships and residences are disclosed above) :

             Name                  Position

             Roy E. Disney         Chairman of the Board of
                                   Directors
             Patricia A. Disney    Vice Chairman of the Board of
                                   Directors

             Stanley P. Gold       Director and President
             Robert G. Moskowitz   Executive Vice President and
                                   Secretary
             George J. Buchler     Treasurer and Assistant
                                   Secretary
             Katja Eastland        Controller

(d),(e) During the last five years, to SHOC's best knowledge, none of SHOC, SHI
nor the respective directors, executive officers or controlling persons of SHOC
or SHI, as the case may be, has been convicted in a criminal proceeding
(excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors) or has been a party to a
civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body of competent jurisdiction
as a result of which such person was or is subject to a judgment, decree or
final order enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating
activities subject to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation
with respect to such laws.


ITEM 4.   PURPOSE OF TRANSACTION.

Item 4 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended to add the following:

          SHOC entered into an Underwriting Agreement, dated September 30, 1997,
by and among UTI, the Selling Securityholders named therein (including SHOC) and
Prudential Securities Incorporated, Lehman Brothers, Rauscher Pierce Refsnes,
Inc. and Simmons & Company International as representatives of the Underwriters
named therein. The Underwriting Agreement pertained to a registered public
offering (the "Offering") by UTI and the Selling Securityholders of an aggregate
of 5,915,500 Shares, of which 1,575,000 Shares would be sold by UTI, 533,333
Shares would be sold by SHOC and 3,807,167 Shares would be sold by the remaining
Selling Securityholders.

          On October 6, 1997, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, SHOC sold
533,333 Shares to the Underwriters at a price of $37.7225 per share, for an
aggregate amount of $20,118,654. The Underwriters then sold those shares to the
public at a price of $39.50 per share, or $21,066,654 in the aggregate.

          The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement is qualified
in its entirety by reference to the full text of that agreement, filed as
Exhibit 1 to this statement. That agreement is incorporated herein by this
reference.

ITEM 5.   INTERESTS IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER.

Item 5 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended to add the following:

          On September 5, 1997, UTI effected a three-for-one stock split with
respect to its Common Stock, leaving SHOC with beneficial ownership of 666,666
Shares. After its sale of 533,333 Shares in the Offering, SHOC beneficially
owned 133,333 Shares, over which SHOC possesses sole voting and dispositive
power.

          Based on the preliminary prospectus circulated by UTI in connection
with the Offering, (a) SHOC owned 5.1% of all issued and outstanding Shares
immediately prior to the Offering and (b) 15,956,515 Shares were issued and
outstanding immediately following the Offering. Accordingly, upon the closing of
the Offering on October 6, 1997, SHOC beneficially owned 0.8% of the issued and
outstanding Shares, and SHOC thereby ceased to be a beneficial owner of more
than 5% of the Shares.

          Except as set forth in Items 4 and 5 of this statement, to its best
knowledge, none of SHOC, SHI nor the respective directors, executive officers or
controlling persons of SHOC or SHI, as the case may be, has effected any
transactions in the Shares since August 1, 1997.





ITEM 6.   CONTRACTS,  ARRANGEMENTS,  UNDERSTANDINGS  OR  RELATIONSHIPS  WITH
          RESPECT TO SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER.

Item 6 of the Schedule 13D is hereby amended to add the following:

          The response to Item 4 in this statement is hereby  incorporated by
reference into this response to Item 6.


ITEM 7.   MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS.

                   DOCUMENT

     Exhibit 1 --  Underwriting Agreement, dated September 30, 1997, by and
                   among UTI Energy Corp., the Selling Securityholders named
                   therein and Prudential Securities Incorporated, Lehman
                   Brothers, Rauscher Pierce Refsnes, Inc. and Simmons & Company
                   International as representatives of the Underwriters named
                   therein


                                  Signatures

     After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.

Date: October 6, 1997

                                    SHAMROCK HOLDINGS OF CALIFORNIA, INC.


                                    By:/s/ Robert G. Moskowitz
                                       ---------------------------------------
                                       Name:  Robert G. Moskowitz
                                       Title:    Executive Vice President




                                Exhibit Index

               DOCUMENT

Exhibit 1 --   Underwriting Agreement, dated September 30, 1997, by and
               among UTI Energy Corp., the Selling Securityholders named therein
               and Prudential Securities Incorporated, Lehman Brothers, Rauscher
               Pierce Refsnes, Inc. and Simmons & Company International as
               representatives of the Underwriters named therein


                                                                EXECUTION COPY

                           UTI ENERGY CORP.

                          6,100,000 Shares 1

                             Common Stock

                        UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                        ----------------------

                                                            September 30, 1997


PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
RAUSCHER PIERCE REFSNES, INC.
SIMMONS & COMPANY INTERNATIONAL
  As a Representative of the several Underwriters
c/o Prudential Securities Incorporated
One New York Plaza
New York, New York  10292

Dear Sirs:

            Each of UTI Energy Corp., a Delaware  corporation (the "Company"),
the selling  securityholders  set forth in Schedule  1-A hereto (the  "Selling
Securityholders"),  and the selling  securityholders set forth on Schedule 1-B
hereto (the "Additional Securityholders"),  hereby confirms its agreement with
the several underwriters named in Schedule 2 hereto (the "Underwriters"),  for
whom  you  have  been  duly  authorized  to act as  representatives  (in  such
capacities,  the  "Representatives"),  as set forth below. If you are the only
Underwriters,  all references herein to the Representatives shall be deemed to
be to the Underwriters.

      1.    Securities.   Subject   to  the   terms  and   conditions   herein
contained,  the Company proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters
1,575,000  shares  and  the  Selling  Securityholders  propose  to sell to the
several  Underwriters  4,360,000  shares  and  warrants  to  purchase  165,000
shares,  (the "Firm  Securities"),  of the Company's  Common Stock,  par value
$.001 per share  ("Common  Stock").  The  Company  also  proposes to issue and
sell to the several  Underwriters not more than 414,825  additional  shares of
Common Stock and the  Additional  Selling  Securityholders  propose to sell to
the several  Underwriters  not more than 305,175  additional  shares of Common
Stock and warrants to purchase  195,000  shares of Common Stock,  if requested
by the  Representatives  as provided in Section 4 of this  Agreement.  Any and
all shares of Common  Stock to be purchased  by the  Underwriters  pursuant to
such options,  including the shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise
of the warrants,  are referred to herein as the "Option  Securities",  and the
Firm Securities and any Option Securities are collectively  referred to herein
as  the  "Securities".  The  warrants  to  purchase  shares  of  Common  Stock
included in the  Securities  to be sold to the  Underwriters  are  referred to
herein as the "Warrants".


1    Plus  options to  purchase  from the  Company  up to 414,825  additional
shares  and  from  the  Additional  Selling   Securityholders  up  to  305,175
additional   shares  and  warrants  to  purchase   195,000   shares  to  cover
over-allotments.

      2.    Representations  and  Warranties  of the  Company  and  Drum.  The
Company and  Vaughn E.  Drum  ("Drum")  jointly and  severally  represent  and
warrant to, and agree with, each of the several Underwriters that:

            (a)   The  Company  meets  the  requirements  for use of Form  S-3
      under  the   Securities   Act  of  1933,  as  amended  (the  "Act").   A
      registration  statement on such Form (File No.  333-35109)  with respect
      to the  Securities,  including a prospectus  subject to completion,  has
      been filed by the Company with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission
      (the  "Commission")  under the Act, and one or more  amendments  to such
      registration  statement  may have been so filed.  After the execution of
      this Agreement,  the Company will file with the Commission either (i) if
      such  registration  statement,  as it may have  been  amended,  has been
      declared by the Commission to be effective  under the Act, either (A) if
      the  Company  relies  on Rule  434  under  the  Act,  a Term  Sheet  (as
      hereinafter  defined)  relating to the  Securities,  that shall identify
      the Preliminary  Prospectus (as hereinafter defined) that it supplements
      and, if required to be filed pursuant to Rules 434(c)(2) and 424(b),  an
      Integrated   Prospectus  (as  hereinafter   defined),  in  either  case,
      containing  such  information  as is required or  permitted by Rule 434,
      430A and  424(b)  under the Act or (B) if the  Company  does not rely on
      Rule 434 under the Act, a prospectus in the form most recently  included
      in  an  amendment  to  such  registration  statement  (or,  if  no  such
      amendment shall have been filed, in such registration  statement),  with
      such  changes or  insertions  as are required by Rule 430A under the Act
      or  permitted  by Rule 424(b)  under the Act,  and in the case of clause
      (i)(A) or (i)(B) of this  sentence as have been provided to and approved
      by the  Representatives  prior to the  execution of this  Agreement,  or
      (ii) if such registration  statement,  as it may have been amended,  has
      not been declared by the  Commission  to be effective  under the Act, an
      amendment  to  such   registration   statement,   including  a  form  of
      prospectus,  a  copy  of  which  amendment  has  been  furnished  to and
      approved  by  the  Representatives   prior  to  the  execution  of  this
      Agreement.  The Company may also file a related  registration  statement
      with  the  Commission  pursuant  to Rule  462(b)  under  the Act for the
      purpose of registering  certain additional  Securities.  As used in this
      Agreement,   the  term  "Original  Registration   Statement"  means  the
      registration  statement  initially filed relating to the Securities,  as
      amended at the time when it was or is declared effective,  including (A)
      all  financial  schedules  and  exhibits  thereto,   (B)  all  documents
      incorporated  by reference  therein filed under the Securities  Exchange
      Act of 1934,  as amended (the  "Exchange  Act") and (C) any  information
      omitted  therefrom  pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act and  included in
      the  Prospectus  (as  hereinafter  defined)  or, if required to be filed
      pursuant to Rule  434(c)(2) and 424(b),  in the  Integrated  Prospectus;
      the term "Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement"  means any  registration
      statement  filed with the  Commission  pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the
      Act  (including   the   Registration   Statement  and  any   Preliminary
      Prospectus  or  Prospectus   incorporated   therein  at  the  time  such
      Registration  Statement  becomes  effective);   the  term  "Registration
      Statement"  includes  both the Original  Registration  Statement and any
      Rule 462(b) Registration  Statement;  the term "Preliminary  Prospectus"
      means   each   prospectus   subject  to   completion   filed  with  such
      registration   statement  or  any  amendment   thereto   (including  the
      prospectus  subject to completion,  if any, included in the Registration
      Statement  or any  amendment  thereto at the time it was or is  declared
      effective),  including all documents  incorporated by reference  therein
      filed under the Exchange Act the term "Prospectus" means:

            (A)   if the  Company  relies on Rule 434 under the Act,  the Term
            Sheet relating to the  Securities  that is first filed pursuant to
            Rule  424(b)(7)  under  the Act,  together  with  the  Preliminary
            Prospectus identified therein that such Term Sheet supplements:

            (B)   if the Company  does not rely on Rule 434 under the Act, the
            prospectus  first  filed  with  the  Commission  pursuant  to Rule
            424(b) under the Act; or

            (C)   if the  Company  does not rely on Rule 434 under the Act and
            if no prospectus  is required to be filed  pursuant to Rule 424(b)
            under  the  Act,  the  prospectus  included  in  the  Registration
            Statement,  including,  in the case of clauses  (A), (B) or (C) of
            this sentence,  all documents  incorporated  by reference  therein
            filed under the  Exchange  Act; the term  "Integrated  Prospectus"
            means a  prospectus  first filed with the  Commission  pursuant to
            Rules  434(c)(2)  and  424(b)  under the Act;  and the Term  "Term
            Sheet"  means  any  abbreviated  term  sheet  that  satisfies  the
            requirements  of Rule 434 under  the Act.  Any  reference  in this
            Agreement  to an  "amendment  or  supplement"  to any  Preliminary
            Prospectus,  the  Prospectus  or any  Integrated  Prospectus or an
            "amendment"   to  any   registration   statement   (including  the
            Registration  Statement)  shall be deemed to include any  document
            incorporated   by  reference   therein  that  is  filed  with  the
            Commission   under  the  Exchange  Act  after  the  date  of  such
            Preliminary  Prospectus,   Prospectus,  Integrated  Prospectus  or
            registration  statement,  as the case may be; any reference herein
            to the "date" of a  Prospectus  that  includes a Term Sheet  shall
            mean the date of such Term Sheet.  For  purposes of the  preceding
            sentence,  any reference to the  "effective  date" of an amendment
            to a registration  statement  shall, if such amendment is effected
            by means of the filing with the Commission  under the Exchange Act
            of a  document  incorporated  by  reference  in such  registration
            statement,  be deemed to refer to the date on which such  document
            was so filed with the Commission.

            (b)   The  Commission  has not  issued  any  order  preventing  or
      suspending the use of any Preliminary  Prospectus.  When any Preliminary
      Prospectus  and any amendment or  supplement  thereto was filed with the
      Commission,  it (i)  contained  all  statements  required  to be  stated
      therein in accordance  with, and complied in all material  respects with
      the  requirements of, the Act, the Exchange Act and the respective rules
      and regulations of the Commission  thereunder,  and (ii) did not include
      any untrue  statement  of a material  fact or omit to state any material
      fact necessary in order to make the statements  therein, in the light of
      the circumstances  under which they were made, not misleading.  When the
      Registration  Statement  or any  amendment  thereto  was or is  declared
      effective,  it (i) contained or will contain all statements  required to
      be stated  therein in  accordance  with,  and complied or will comply in
      all material  respects with the  requirements  of, the Act, the Exchange
      Act  and  the  respective   rules  and  regulations  of  the  Commission
      thereunder and (ii) did not or will not include any untrue  statement of
      a material  fact or omit to state any  material  fact  necessary to make
      the statements  therein not misleading.  When the Prospectus or any Term
      Sheet  that  is a part  thereof  or  any  Integrated  Prospectus  or any
      amendment or supplement to the  Prospectus is filed with the  Commission
      pursuant to Rule 424(b) (or, if the  Prospectus  or part thereof or such
      amendment  or  supplement  is not  required  to be so  filed,  when  the
      Registration   Statement  or  the  amendment  thereto   containing  such
      amendment  or   supplement  to  the   Prospectus   was  or  is  declared
      effective),  on the date when the  Prospectus  is  otherwise  amended or
      supplemented  and on the Firm Closing  Date and any Option  Closing Date
      (both as hereinafter defined), each of the Prospectus,  and, if required
      to be filed  pursuant to Rules  434(c)(2)  and 424(b) under the Act, the
      Integrated  Prospectus as amended or  supplemented at any such time, (i)
      contained or will contain all  statements  required to be stated therein
      in  accordance  with,  and  complied  or  will  comply  in all  material
      respects  with the  requirements  of, the Act,  the Exchange Act and the
      respective  rules and regulations of the Commission  thereunder and (ii)
      did not or will not include any untrue  statement of a material  fact or
      omit to  state  any  material  fact  necessary  in  order  to  make  the
      statements  therein,  in the light of the circumstances under which they
      were made, not  misleading.  The foregoing  provisions of this paragraph
      (b) do not apply to  statements  or  omissions  made in any  Preliminary
      Prospectus  or any  amendment or supplement  thereto,  the  Registration
      Statement or any amendment  thereto the Prospectus or, if required to be
      filed  pursuant  to  Rules   434(c)(2)  and  424(b)  and  the  Act,  the
      Integrated   Prospectus  or  any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto  in
      reliance upon and in conformity  with written  information  furnished to
      the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives  specifically
      for use therein.

            (c)   If the  Company  has  elected to rely on Rule 462(b) and the
      Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement has not been declared effective (i)
      the  Company  has  filed  a  Rule  462(b)   Registration   Statement  in
      compliance  with and that is  effective  upon  filing  pursuant  to Rule
      462(b)  and has  received  confirmation  of its  receipt  and  (ii)  the
      Company  has given  irrevocable  instructions  for  transmission  of the
      applicable  filing fee in connection  with the filing of the Rule 462(b)
      Registration  Statement,  in compliance with Rule 111 promulgated  under
      the Act or the Commission has received payment of such filing fee.

            (d)   Schedule 3 hereto is a complete  and  accurate  schedule  of
      (i) the names and  jurisdictions  of organization  of all  corporations,
      partnerships  and  joint  ventures  (the  "Subsidiaries")  in which  the
      Company has a direct or indirect  majority  equity interest and which is
      required to be listed on Exhibit 21 to an Annual  Report on Form 10-K of
      the Company if such report were to be filed with the  Commission  at the
      time of the  execution and delivery of this  Agreement.  The Company and
      each of the  Subsidiaries  have  been  duly  organized  and are  validly
      existing  as  corporations  in good  standing  under  the  laws of their
      respective  jurisdictions  of  incorporation  and are duly  qualified to
      transact  business  as  foreign  corporations  and are in good  standing
      under  the  laws of all  other  jurisdictions  where  the  ownership  or
      leasing  of  their  respective   properties  or  the  conduct  of  their
      respective  businesses  requires  such  qualification,  except where the
      failure  to do so or  qualify  or be in good  standing  would not have a
      material adverse effect on the business,  financial condition or results
      of operations of the Company and the  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole (a
      "Material Adverse Effect").

            (e)   The  Company  and  each  of  its   subsidiaries   have  full
      corporate power to own or lease their respective  properties and conduct
      their respective businesses as described in the Registration  Statement,
      each  of  the  Prospectus  and  any  Integrated  Prospectus  or,  if the
      Prospectus and any required Integrated  Prospectus are not in existence,
      the  most  recent  Preliminary  Prospectus;  and the  Company  has  full
      corporate  power to enter into this  Agreement  and to carry out all the
      terms and provisions hereof to be carried out by it.

            (f)   The issued  shares of capital stock of each of the Company's
      subsidiaries  have been duly  authorized and validly  issued,  are fully
      paid and  nonassessable  and are owned  beneficially by the Company free
      and clear of any security interests,  liens,  encumbrances,  equities or
      claims except as set forth on Schedule 3 hereto.

            (g)   The  Company  has  an  authorized,  issued  and  outstanding
      capitalization   as  set  forth  in  each  of  the  Prospectus  and  any
      Integrated  Prospectus or, if the Prospectus and any required Integrated
      Prospectus   are  not  in   existence,   the  most  recent   Preliminary
      Prospectus.  All of the issued  shares of capital  stock of the  Company
      have been duly  authorized  and  validly  issued  and are fully paid and
      nonassessable.  The Firm Securities and the Option  Securities have been
      duly  authorized  and at the Firm  Closing  Date or the  related  Option
      Closing Date (as the case may be), after payment  therefor in accordance
      herewith  and  the  exercise  of the  Warrants  by the  Underwriters  in
      accordance  with the  terms of the  Warrants,  will be  validly  issued,
      fully  paid and  nonassessable.  No  holders  of  outstanding  shares of
      capital  stock of the Company are entitled as such to any  preemptive or
      other rights to subscribe  for any of the  Securities,  and no holder of
      securities  of the  Company  has any  right  which  has not  been  fully
      exercised  or waived to require  the  Company to  register  the offer or
      sale of any securities  owned by such holder under the Act in the public
      offering contemplated by this Agreement.

            (h)   The   capital   stock  of  the   Company   conforms  to  the
      description  thereof  contained  in  each  of  the  Prospectus  and  any
      Integrated  Prospectus or, if the Prospectus and any required Integrated
      Prospectus are not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

            (i)   Except as described or  specifically  referred to in each of
      the Prospectus and any Integrated  Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus and
      any  required  Integrated  Prospectus  are not in  existence,  the  most
      recent   Preliminary   Prospectus),   there  are  not   outstanding  (A)
      securities  or  obligations  of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries
      convertible  into or  exchangeable  for any capital stock of the Company
      or any such  subsidiary,  (B)  warrants,  rights or options to subscribe
      for or  purchase  from  the  Company  or any  such  subsidiary  any such
      capital  stock or any such  convertible  or  exchangeable  securities or
      obligations,  or (C)  obligations of the Company or any such  subsidiary
      to  issue  any  shares  of  capital  stock,   any  such  convertible  or
      exchangeable securities or obligations,  or any such warrants, rights or
      options.

            (j)   The  historical   consolidated   financial   statements  and
      schedules of the Company and its consolidated  subsidiaries  included in
      the  Registration   Statement  and  the  Prospectus  or  any  Integrated
      Prospectus   (or,  if  the  Prospectus   and  any  required   Integrated
      Prospectus   are  not  in   existence,   the  most  recent   Preliminary
      Prospectus)  fairly  present the  financial  position of the Company and
      its  consolidated  subsidiaries  and the results of  operations  and the
      cash  flows of the  Company  and its  consolidated  subsidiaries  at the
      respective  dates and for the  respective  periods to which they  apply.
      Such   financial   statements   and  schedules  have  been  prepared  in
      accordance with generally accepted  accounting  principles  consistently
      applied  throughout  the periods  involved  (except as  otherwise  noted
      therein).  The  selected  financial  data set forth  under  the  caption
      "Selected  Consolidated  Financial  Data" in each of the  Prospectus and
      any  Integrated  Prospectus  or,  if the  Prospectus  and  any  required
      Integrated Prospectus are not in existence,  the most recent Preliminary
      Prospectus,  fairly  present,  on the basis stated in each of Prospectus
      and any Integrated  Prospectus  (or such  Preliminary  Prospectus),  the
      information included therein.

            (k)   Ernst & Young,  LLP, who have  certified  certain  financial
      statements  of  the  Company  and  its  consolidated   subsidiaries  and
      delivered  their  reports  with  respect  to  the  audited  consolidated
      financial   statements  and  schedules   included  in  the  Registration
      Statement and each of the Prospectus and any Integrated  Prospectus (or,
      if the  Prospectus  and any required  Integrated  Prospectus  are not in
      existence,  the most recent  Preliminary  Prospectus),  are  independent
      public  accountants  within the meaning of the Act, the Exchange Act and
      the related published rules and regulations thereunder.

            (l)   Coopers  &  Lybrand  L.L.P.,   who  have  certified  certain
      financial  statements of Quarles  Drilling  Company and delivered  their
      report  with   respect  to  such   financial   statements   included  or
      incorporated by reference in the Registration  Statement and each of the
      Prospectus and any Integrated  prospectus (or, if the Prospectus and any
      required  Integrated  Prospectus  are not in existence,  the most recent
      Preliminary  Prospectus),  are independent public accountants within the
      meaning of the Act,  the Exchange  Act and the related  published  rules
      and regulations thereunder.

            (m)   The execution and delivery of this  Agreement have been duly
      authorized by the Company and this  Agreement has been duly executed and
      delivered by the Company,  and is the valid and binding agreement of the
      Company,  enforceable  against the Company in accordance with its terms,
      except as rights to  indemnity  and  contribution  may be limited  under
      applicable law.

            (n)   No legal or  governmental  proceedings  are pending to which
      the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  is a party  or to  which  the
      property of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is subject that are
      required to be  described in the  Registration  Statement or each of the
      Prospectus and any Integrated  Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus and any
      required  Integrated  Prospectus  are not in existence,  the most recent
      Preliminary  Prospectus),  and no such  proceedings have been threatened
      against the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or with  respect to any
      of their  respective  properties;  and no contract or other  document is
      required  to  be  described  in  the   Registration   Statement  or  the
      Prospectus or any Integrated  Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to
      the  Registration  Statement  that is not described  therein (or, if the
      Prospectus and any required Integrated  Prospectus are not in existence,
      the most recent Preliminary Prospectus) or filed as required.

            (o)   The  issuance,  offering and sale of the  Securities  to the
      Underwriters by the Company  pursuant to this Agreement,  the compliance
      by the  Company  with the other  provisions  of this  Agreement  and the
      consummation of the other  transactions  herein  contemplated do not (i)
      require  the   consent,   approval,   authorization,   registration   or
      qualification  of or with any  governmental  authority,  except  such as
      have been obtained,  such as may be required  under state  securities or
      blue sky laws and, if the Registration  Statement is not effective under
      the Act as of the  time of  execution  hereof,  such as may be  required
      (and shall be obtained as provided in this Agreement)  under the Act, or
      (ii)  conflict  with or result in a breach  or  violation  of any of the
      terms and provisions  of, or constitute a default under,  any indenture,
      mortgage,  deed of trust,  lease or other  agreement  or  instrument  to
      which the Company or any of its  subsidiaries is a party or by which the
      Company  or  any  of  its   subsidiaries  or  any  of  their  respective
      properties  are  bound,  or the  charter  documents  or  by-laws  of the
      Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  or any  statute  or any  judgment,
      decree,  order,  rule or regulation  of any court or other  governmental
      authority  or any  arbitrator  applicable  to the  Company or any of its
      subsidiaries except for such conflicts, defaults, violations,  creations
      or impositions  that would not affect the  consummation of the Agreement
      or the issuance of the Securities or have a Material Adverse Effect.

            (p)   Subsequent to the respective  dates as of which  information
      is  given  in  the  Registration   Statement,   the  Prospectus  or  any
      Integrated   Prospectus   (or,  if  the   Prospectus  and  any  required
      Integrated Prospectus are not in existence,  the most recent Preliminary
      Prospectus),  neither  the  Company  nor  any  of its  subsidiaries  has
      sustained any loss that is material to the Company and its  subsidiaries
      taken as a whole or  interference  with their  respective  businesses or
      properties  from fire,  flood,  hurricane,  accident or other  calamity,
      whether or not covered by  insurance,  or from any labor  dispute or any
      legal or  governmental  proceeding  and there has not been any  material
      adverse  change,  or any  development  involving a prospective  material
      adverse change, in the condition  (financial or otherwise),  management,
      business  prospects,  net worth, or results of operations of the Company
      and its subsidiaries taken as a whole,  except in each case as described
      in or  contemplated  by the each of the  Prospectus  and any  Integrated
      Prospectus   (or,  if  the  Prospectus   and  any  required   Integrated
      Prospectus   are  not  in   existence,   the  most  recent   Preliminary
      Prospectus).

            (q)   The Company has not,  directly or indirectly,  (i) taken any
      action  designed  to cause or to result in, or that has  constituted  or
      which might reasonably be expected to constitute,  the  stabilization or
      manipulation  of the price of any security of the Company to  facilitate
      the sale or resale of the  Securities  or (ii)  since the  filing of the
      Registration Statement (A) sold, bid for, purchased,  or paid anyone any
      compensation for soliciting  purchases of, the Securities or (B) paid or
      agreed to pay to any person any compensation  for soliciting  another to
      purchase  any other  securities  of the Company  (except for the sale of
      Securities  by  the  Selling   Securityholders  and  Additional  Selling
      Securityholders  under  this  Agreement  and except in  connection  with
      acquisitions by the Company or its  subsidiaries of assets or businesses
      in the oilfield services industry).

            (r)   The Company has not  distributed  and, prior to the later of
      (i) the Closing Date and (ii) the completion of the  distribution of the
      Securities,  will not  distribute  any offering  material in  connection
      with  the   offering  and  sale  of  the   Securities   other  than  the
      Registration   Statement  or  any  amendment  thereto,  any  Preliminary
      Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement  thereto, or
      other materials, if any, permitted by the Act.

            (s)   Subsequent to the respective  dates as of which  information
      is given in the  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus  (or, if the
      Prospectus   is  not  in   existence,   the  most   recent   Preliminary
      Prospectus):  (1) the  Company and its  subsidiaries,  prior to the Firm
      Closing Date,  have not entered into any transaction not in the ordinary
      course of business that is material to the Company and its  subsidiaries
      taken  as a  whole;  (2)  the  Company  has  not  purchased  any  of its
      outstanding  capital  stock,  nor declared,  paid or otherwise  made any
      dividend  or  distribution  of any kind on its  capital  stock;  and (3)
      there has not been any material change in the capital stock,  short-term
      debt  or   long-term   debt  of  the   Company   and  its   consolidated
      subsidiaries,  except in each case as  described in or  contemplated  by
      the  Prospectus  (or, if the  Prospectus is not in  existence,  the most
      recent Preliminary Prospectus).

            (t)   The Company and each of its subsidiaries  have good title in
      fee simple to all items of real  property and good title to all personal
      property  owned  by each of them,  in each  case  free and  clear of any
      security  interests,  liens,  encumbrances,  equities,  claims and other
      defects,  except  such as do not  materially  and  adversely  affect the
      value  of such  property  and do not  interfere  with  the  use  made or
      proposed to be made of such property by the Company or such  subsidiary,
      and any real property and  buildings  held under lease by the Company or
      any such  subsidiary are held under valid,  subsisting  and  enforceable
      leases,  with such exceptions as are not material to the Company and its
      subsidiaries  taken as a whole and do not materially  interfere with the
      use made or proposed to be made of such  property  and  buildings by the
      Company  or such  subsidiary,  in each case  except as  described  in or
      contemplated  by  the  Prospectus  (or,  if  the  Prospectus  is  not in
      existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).

            (u)   The  Company  and each of its  subsidiaries  are  insured by
      insurers of recognized financial  responsibility against such losses and
      risks  and  in  such  amounts  as  are  prudent  and  customary  in  the
      businesses  in which they are engaged;  neither the Company nor any such
      subsidiary  has been refused any  insurance  coverage  sought or applied
      for; and neither the Company nor any such  subsidiary  has any reason to
      believe  that  it  will  not be able to  renew  its  existing  insurance
      coverage  as  and  when  such  coverage  expires  or to  obtain  similar
      coverage  from  similar  insurers as may be  necessary  to continue  its
      business at a cost that would not  materially  and adversely  affect the
      condition  (financial or otherwise),  business  prospects,  net worth or
      results of  operations  of the Company and its  subsidiaries  taken as a
      whole,  except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (or, if
      the  Prospectus  is  not  in  existence,  the  most  recent  Preliminary
      Prospectus).

            (v)   The  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  possess  all  material
      certificates,  authorizations  and  permits  issued  by the  appropriate
      federal,  state or foreign regulatory  authorities  necessary to conduct
      their  respective  businesses,  and  neither  the  Company  nor any such
      subsidiary  has  received  any  notice of  proceedings  relating  to the
      revocation or modification  of any such  certificate,  authorization  or
      permit  which,  singly  or  in  the  aggregate,  if  the  subject  of an
      unfavorable  decision,  ruling or  finding,  would  result in a material
      adverse  change in the  condition  (financial  or  otherwise),  business
      prospects,  net worth or results of  operations  of the  Company and its
      subsidiaries  taken as a whole,  except as described in or  contemplated
      by the Prospectus  (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence,  the most
      recent Preliminary Prospectus) .

            (w)   The  Company  is  not an  "investment  company"  within  the
      meaning of the  Investment  Company Act of 1940,  as amended  (the "1940
      Act"),  and is not subject to regulation as an investment  company under
      the 1940 Act. This  transaction  will not cause the Company to become an
      investment company subject to registration under such Act.

            (x)   The Company has filed all foreign,  federal, state and local
      tax returns  that are required to be filed or has  requested  extensions
      thereof  (except  in any case in which the  failure so to file would not
      have a Material  Adverse  Effect) and has paid all taxes  required to be
      paid by it and any other assessment,  fine or penalty levied against it,
      to the extent that any of the  foregoing is due and payable,  except for
      any such  assessment,  fine or  penalty  that  would not have a Material
      Adverse  Effect that is  currently  being  contested in good faith or as
      described in or  contemplated  by the Prospectus  (or, if the Prospectus
      is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus).

            (y)   Neither  the  Company  nor  any  of its  subsidiaries  is in
      violation  of any  federal  or  state  law  or  regulation  relating  to
      occupational   safety  and  health  or  to  the  storage,   handling  or
      transportation  of hazardous or toxic  materials and the Company and its
      subsidiaries  have  received  all permits,  licenses or other  approvals
      required of them under applicable federal and state occupational  safety
      and health  and  environmental  laws and  regulations  to conduct  their
      respective  businesses,  and the Company and each such  subsidiary is in
      compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit,  license or
      approval,  except any such  violation of law or  regulation,  failure to
      receive  required  permits,  licenses or other  approvals  or failure to
      comply  with the terms  and  conditions  of such  permits,  licenses  or
      approvals which would not,  singly or in the aggregate,  have a Material
      Adverse   Effect,   except  as  described  in  or  contemplated  by  the
      Prospectus  (or, if the Prospectus is not in existence,  the most recent
      Preliminary Prospectus).

            (z)   Each  certificate  signed by any  officer of the Company and
      delivered  to  the  Representatives  or  counsel  for  the  Underwriters
      pursuant  to this  Agreement  or in  connection  with the payment of the
      purchase price and delivery of the  certificates for the Firm Securities
      or the  Option  Securities  shall be deemed to be a  representation  and
      warranty by the Company to each  Underwriter  as to the matters  covered
      thereby.

      3.    Representations and Warranties of the Selling Securityholders.
            --------------------------------------------------------------

            Each  Selling  Securityholder  represents  and  warrants  to,  and
agrees with, each of the several Underwriters that:

            (a)   Such Selling  Securityholder  has full power  (corporate and
      other) to enter into this  Agreement and to sell,  assign,  transfer and
      deliver to the  Underwriters  the  Securities to be sold by such Selling
      Securityholder   hereunder  in   accordance   with  the  terms  of  this
      Agreement;  the execution and delivery of this  Agreement have been duly
      authorized by all  necessary  corporate and other action of such Selling
      Securityholder;  and this Agreement has been duly executed and delivered
      by such Selling Securityholder.

            (b)   Such Selling  Securityholder has duly executed and delivered
      a power of attorney and custody  agreement (with respect to such Selling
      Securityholder,  the  "Power-of-Attorney"  and the "Custody  Agreement",
      respectively),   each  in  the   form   heretofore   delivered   to  the
      Representatives,  appointing Mark S. Siegel, Vaughn E. Drum and P. Blake
      Dupuis,   and   each  of   them,   as  such   Selling   Securityholder's
      attorney-in-fact  (the  "Attorney-in-Fact")  with  authority to execute,
      deliver  and  perform   this   Agreement   on  behalf  of  such  Selling
      Securityholder  and  appointing  Chase  Mellon  Shareholder  Services as
      custodian  thereunder  (the  "Custodian").  Certificates  in  negotiable
      form,  endorsed  in blank or  accompanied  by blank  stock  powers  duly
      executed,  with signatures  appropriately  guaranteed,  representing the
      Securities  to be sold by such  Selling  Securityholder  hereunder  have
      been deposited with the Custodian  pursuant to the Custody Agreement for
      the  purpose  of  delivery  pursuant  to this  Agreement.  Such  Selling
      Securityholder  has full power  (corporate  and other) to enter into the
      Custody  Agreement  and  the   Power-of-Attorney   and  to  perform  its
      obligations under the Custody  Agreement.  The execution and delivery of
      the  Custody  Agreement  and  the   Power-of-Attorney   have  been  duly
      authorized by all  necessary  corporate and other action of such Selling
      Securityholder;  the Custody  Agreement and the  Power-of-Attorney  have
      been duly  executed and  delivered by such Selling  Securityholder  and,
      assuming due  authorization,  execution  and delivery by the  Custodian,
      are the  legal,  valid,  binding  and  enforceable  instruments  of such
      Selling  Securityholder.  Such Selling  Securityholder  agrees that each
      of the Securities  represented by the  certificates  on deposit with the
      Custodian  is subject to the  interests of the  Underwriters  hereunder,
      that the  arrangements  made for such custody,  the  appointment  of the
      Attorney-in-Fact   and  the   right,   power   and   authority   of  the
      Attorney-in-Fact to execute and deliver this Agreement,  to agree on the
      price at which the Securities  (including such Selling  Securityholder's
      Securities)  are to be sold to the  Underwriters,  and to carry  out the
      terms of this  Agreement,  are to that extent  irrevocable  and that the
      obligations  of  such  Selling  Securityholder  hereunder  shall  not be
      terminated,  except  as  provided  in  this  Agreement  or  the  Custody
      Agreement,  by any act of such Selling  Securityholder,  by operation of
      law  or  otherwise,  whether  in the  case  of  any  individual  Selling
      Securityholder   by  the   death   or   incapacity   of   such   Selling
      Securityholder,  in the case of a trust or  estate  by the  death of the
      trustee or trustees or the executor or executors or the  termination  of
      such  trust or  estate,  or in the case of a  corporate  or  partnership
      Selling  Securityholder  by its  liquidation  or  dissolution  or by the
      occurrence   of   any   other   event.   If   any   individual   Selling
      Securityholder,  trustee or executor should die or become  incapacitated
      or  any  such  trust  should  be  terminated,  or if  any  corporate  or
      partnership Selling  Securityholder  shall liquidate or dissolve,  or if
      any other event should  occur,  before the  delivery of such  Securities
      hereunder,  the  certificates  for such  Securities  deposited  with the
      Custodian  shall be delivered by the  Custodian in  accordance  with the
      respective  terms and  conditions  of this  Agreement  as if such death,
      incapacity,  termination,  liquidation or dissolution or other event had
      not  occurred,  regardless  of  whether  or  not  the  Custodian  or the
      Attorney-in-Fact shall have received notice thereof.

            (c)   Such   Selling   Securityholder   has  valid  title  to  the
      Securities to be sold by such Selling Securityholder  hereunder and upon
      sale and  delivery  of, and payment for,  such  Securities,  as provided
      herein,  and the  payment  of the  exercise  price  with  respect to any
      Securities  issuable on exercise of the Warrants,  the Underwriters will
      receive  valid  title to such  Securities  free and clear of any adverse
      claims,  assuming that the  Underwriters  have acquired such  Securities
      for value, in good faith and without notice of any adverse claim.

            (d)   Such   Selling   Securityholder   has   not,   directly   or
      indirectly,  (i) taken any  action  designed  to cause or result  in, or
      that  has   constituted  or  which  might   reasonably  be  expected  to
      constitute,  the  stabilization  or  manipulation  of the  price  of any
      security  of the  Company  to  facilitate  the  sale  or  resale  of the
      Securities  or (ii) since the filing of the  Registration  Statement (A)
      sold,  bid  for,   purchased,   or  paid  anyone  any  compensation  for
      soliciting  purchases of, the Securities or (B) paid or agreed to pay to
      any person any  compensation  for  soliciting  another to  purchase  any
      other  securities  of the Company  (except for the sale of Securities by
      the Selling Securityholders under this Agreement).

            (e)   To the extent that any  statements  or omissions are made in
      the Registration Statement,  any Preliminary Prospectus,  the Prospectus
      or  any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto  in  reliance  upon  and  in
      conformity  with  written  information  furnished to the Company by such
      Selling  Securityholder  specifically for use therein,  such Preliminary
      Prospectus  did, and the  Registration  Statement and the Prospectus and
      any amendments or  supplements  thereto,  when they become  effective or
      are filed with the  Commission,  as the case may be, will,  with respect
      to  such   information,   conform  in  all  material   respects  to  the
      requirements  of the Act, the Exchange Act and the respective  rules and
      regulations of the Commission  thereunder and will, with respect to such
      information,  not contain  any untrue  statement  of a material  fact or
      omit to state  any  material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or
      necessary  to  make  the  statements   therein,  in  the  light  of  the
      circumstances  under which they are made, not  misleading.  Such Selling
      Securityholder  has reviewed the  Prospectus  (or, if the  Prospectus is
      not in  existence,  the  most  recent  Preliminary  Prospectus)  and the
      Registration  Statement,  and the  information  regarding  such  Selling
      Securityholder  set forth  therein  under  the  caption  "Principal  and
      Selling Stockholders" is complete and accurate.

            (f)   Such Selling  Securityholder  has no actual knowledge of any
      material adverse  information  specifically  concerning the Company that
      is not set forth in the  Registration  Statement or the Prospectus  (or,
      if the  Prospectus  is not in  existence,  the most  recent  Preliminary
      Prospectus)  that  is  prompting  such  Selling  Securityholder  to sell
      Securities pursuant hereto.

            (g)   The  sale  of the  Securities  to the  Underwriters  by such
      Selling  Securityholder  pursuant to this  Agreement,  the compliance by
      such  Selling   Securityholder   with  the  other   provisions  of  this
      Agreement,  the  Custody  Agreement  and the  consummation  of the other
      transactions  herein  contemplated  do  not  (i)  require  the  consent,
      approval,  authorization,  registration or  qualification of or with any
      governmental  authority,  except such as have been obtained, such as may
      be  required  under  state  securities  or blue  sky  laws  and,  if the
      registration   statement  filed  with  respect  to  the  Securities  (as
      amended)  is not  effective  under  the Act as of the time of  execution
      hereof,  such as may be  required  (and shall be obtained as provided in
      this  Agreement)  under the Act and the Exchange  Act, or (ii)  conflict
      with  or  result  in a  breach  or  violation  of any of the  terms  and
      provisions  of, or constitute a default under any  indenture,  mortgage,
      deed of trust,  lease or other  agreement  or  instrument  to which such
      Selling  Securityholder  or any of its  subsidiaries  is a  party  or by
      which such Selling  Securityholder  or any of its subsidiaries or any of
      such  Selling  Securityholder's  properties  are bound,  or the  charter
      documents  or  by-laws  of  such  Selling  Securityholder  or any of its
      subsidiaries  or any statute or any  judgment,  decree,  order,  rule or
      regulation  of  any  court  or  other  governmental   authority  or  any
      arbitrator  applicable  to  such  Selling  Securityholder  or any of its
      subsidiaries."

            (h)   The Selling  Securityholders have not distributed and, prior
      to the  later of (i) the  Closing  Date and (ii) the  completion  of the
      distribution  of the shares,  will not distribute any offering  material
      in connection  with the offering and sale of the  Securities  other than
      the  Registration  Statement or any amendment  thereto,  any Preliminary
      Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement  thereto, or
      other materials, if any, permitted by the Act.

      4.    Purchase,  Sale and Delivery of the  Securities.  (a) On the basis
of the representations,  warranties, agreements and covenants herein contained
and subject to the terms and conditions  herein set forth,  the Company agrees
to issue and sell, and each of the Selling Securityholders,  severally and not
jointly,  agrees  to  sell,  to  each  of the  Underwriters,  and  each of the
Underwriters,  severally and not jointly,  agrees to purchase from the Company
and the Selling  Securityholders,  at a purchase price of (i) $39.50 per share
of Common  Stock to be sold and (ii) with  respect to the Warrants to purchase
165,000  shares of Common Stock held by Remy Capital  Partners III, L.P. to be
sold,  $39.50 per share of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants
less the exercise  price of 1 43/48 per share,  the number of Firm  Securities
set forth opposite the name of such  Underwriter in Schedule 2 hereto.  One or
more  certificates in definitive form for the Firm Securities that the several
Underwriters  have agreed to purchase  hereunder,  and in such denomination or
denominations  and  registered  in such  name or names as the  Representatives
request  upon  notice  to the  Company  at least  48  hours  prior to the Firm
Closing  Date,  shall be  delivered by or on behalf of the Company and each of
the  Selling   Securityholders  to  the  Representatives  for  the  respective
accounts  of  the  Underwriters,  against  payment  by or  on  behalf  of  the
Underwriters  of the  purchase  price  therefor  by wire  transfer in same-day
funds (the "Wired  Funds") to the account  designated  by the Company and each
of the  Selling  Securityholder.  Such  delivery  of and  payment for the Firm
Securities  shall be made at the offices of Baker & Botts,  L.L.P.,  One Shell
Plaza, 910 Louisiana,  Houston,  Texas 77002 at 9:30 A.M., New York City time,
on  September 6,   1997,  or  at  such  other  place,  time  or  date  as  the
Representatives  and the Company may agree upon or as the  Representatives may
determine  pursuant  to  Section  11  hereof,  such time and date of  delivery
against  payment  being herein  referred to as the "Firm  Closing  Date".  The
Company and each of the Selling  Securityholders will make such certificate or
certificates  for the Firm Securities  available for checking and packaging by
the  Representatives  at the  offices in New York,  New York of the  Company's
transfer agent or registrar or of Prudential Securities  Incorporated at least
24 hours prior to the Firm Closing Date.

      (b)   For the  purpose of covering  any  over-allotments  in  connection
with the  distribution  and sale of the Firm Securities as contemplated by the
Prospectus,  the Company and Drum hereby grant to the several  Underwriters an
option to purchase,  severally  and not jointly,  the Option  Securities to be
sold by them.  The purchase price to be paid for any Option  Securities  shall
be the same  price per  share as the  price per share for the Firm  Securities
set forth above in  paragraph  (a) of this Section 4, plus if the purchase and
sale of any Option  Securities  takes  place after the Firm  Closing  Date and
after the Firm  Securities are trading  "ex-dividend",  an amount equal to the
dividend  payable on such Option  Securities.  For  purposes  of covering  any
over-allotments  in  connection  with  the  distribution  and  sale of  Option
Securities as contemplated by the Prospectus,  Remy Investors and Consultants,
Incorporated and Kenneth N. Berns hereby grant to the several  underwriters an
option to purchase,  severally and not jointly,  Warrants to purchase  165,000
and 30,000 shares of Common Stock,  respectively,  at an exercise  price of $1
43/48 per share.  The purchase  price to be paid for such Warrants shall be at
a price per Warrant to  purchase  one share of Common  Stock equal  $39.50 per
share of Common Stock  issuable upon exercise of the Warrants less the warrant
exercise price,  plus, if the purchase and sale of any Option Securities takes
place after the Firm  Closing Date and after the Firm  Securities  are trading
"ex-dividend",  an  amount  equal  to the  dividend  payable  on  such  Option
Securities.  The  options  granted  hereby may be  exercised  as to all or any
part of the Option Securities,  including for this purpose, the Warrants, from
time to time  within 30 days  after the date of the  Prospectus  (or,  if such
30th day shall be a Saturday or Sunday or a holiday,  on the next business day
thereafter  when  the New  York  Stock  Exchange  is open  for  trading).  The
Underwriters  shall not be under any  obligation to purchase any of the Option
Securities  prior to the exercise of such  options.  The  Representatives  may
from time to time  exercise  the options  granted  hereby by giving  notice in
writing  or by  telephone  (confirmed  in  writing)  to the  Company  and  the
Additional  Selling  Securityholders  as to the  number of  Option  Securities
(including  the  number  of  Warrants  pursuant  to  which  Securities  may be
issuable)  as to  which  the  several  Underwriters  are then  exercising  the
options  and the date and time for  delivery  of and  payment  for such Option
Securities.  The  exercise  of such  options  shall be  effected on a pro rata
basis  between the Company and the  Additional  Selling  Securityholders.  Any
such date of delivery  shall be  determined by the  Representatives  but shall
not be earlier than two business  days or later than five  business days after
such  exercise of the option and, in any event,  shall not be earlier than the
Firm Closing Date.  The time and date set forth in such notice,  or such other
time on such other date as the  Representatives and the Company may agree upon
or as the  Representatives  may  determine  pursuant to Section 11 hereof,  is
herein  called  the  "Option   Closing  Date"  with  respect  to  such  Option
Securities  and  Warrants.  Upon  the  exercise  of the  options  as  provided
herein,  the Company and the Additional Selling  Securityholders  shall become
obligated to sell to each of the  Underwriters  and,  subject to the terms and
conditions  set forth  herein,  each of the  Underwriters  (severally  and not
jointly)  shall  become  obligated  to  purchase  from  the  Company  and such
Additional  Selling  Securityholders,  the same percentage of the total number
of the Option  Securities  (including  for this purpose the number of Warrants
to  purchase  Securities)  as to  which  the  several  Underwriters  are  then
exercising  the options as such  Underwriter  is  obligated to purchase of the
aggregate number of Firm  Securities,  as adjusted by the  Representatives  in
such  manner  as they  deem  advisable  to  avoid  fractional  Shares.  If the
options are exercised as to all or a portion of the Option Securities,  one or
more certificates in definitive form for such Option  Securities,  and payment
therefor  shall be delivered on the related Option Closing Date in the manner,
and upon the terms and conditions,  set forth in paragraph (a) of this Section
4, except that reference  therein to the Firm  Securities and the Firm Closing
Date shall be deemed,  for  purposes of this  paragraph  (b), to refer to such
Option Securities and Option Closing Date,  respectively.  With respect to the
exercise  of the  options as to all or a portion of the  Warrants  to purchase
Option Securities,  such Warrants shall be assigned to the Underwriters on the
same  percentage of the total number of the Option  Securities as to which the
several  Underwriters  are then exercising the options as such  Underwriter is
obligated to purchase the aggregate number of Firm Securities,  as adjusted by
the  Representatives in such manner as they deem advisable to avoid fractional
Shares.  The  Company  agrees to issue the shares of Common  Stock  subject to
such  Warrants,  upon  payment  by  the  Underwriters  to the  Company  of the
exercise price with respect to such Warrants.

      (c)   The  Company,  each  Selling  Securityholder  and each  Additional
Selling  Securityholder  acknowledge that the wire transfer by or on behalf of
the  Underwriters  of the purchase price for any Common Stock or Warrants does
not  constitute  a closing of a purchase and sale of Common Stock or Warrants.
Only execution and delivery of a receipt for Common Stock or Warrants,  as the
case may be, by the  Underwriters  indicates  completion  of the  closing of a
purchase of Common  Stock or Warrants as the case may be, from the Company and
each   Selling   Securityholder   or   Additional   Selling    Securityholder.
Furthermore,  in the event that the  Underwriters  wire  funds to the  Company
prior to the  completion  of the  closing  of a  purchase  of Common  Stock or
Warrants,  as the case may be, the Company,  each Selling  Securityholder  and
each   Additional   Selling   Securityholder   acknowledge   that   until  the
Underwriters  execute and  deliver a receipt  for Common  Stock or Warrants as
the case may be, by  facsimile  or  otherwise,  the Company  and each  Selling
Securityholder  will not be entitled  to the wired funds and shall  return the
wired funds to the  Underwriters  as soon as practicable  (by wire transfer of
same-day  funds) upon  demand.  In the event that the closing of a purchase of
Common Stock or Warrants is not  completed and the wire funds are not returned
by  the  Company  and  each  Selling   Securityholder  or  Additional  Selling
Securityholder  to the  Underwriters  on the same  day the  wired  funds  were
received  by the  Company,  the Company and each  Selling  Securityholder  and
Additional Selling  Securityholder agree to pay to the Underwriters in respect
of each day the wire funds are not  returned  by the  Company  or any  Selling
Securityholder or Additional  Selling  Securityholder,  as the case may be, in
same-day  funds,  interest  on the  amount  of such  wire  funds in an  amount
representing the Underwriters'  cost of financing as reasonably  determined by
Prudential Securities Incorporated.

      (d)   It is understood that any of you,  individually  and not as one of
the  Representatives,  may (but  shall not be  obligated  to) make  payment on
behalf of any  Underwriter  or  Underwriters  for any of the  Common  Stock or
Warrants  to be  purchased  by  such  Underwriter  or  Underwriters.  No  such
payment  shall relieve such  Underwriter  or  Underwriters  from any of its or
their obligations hereunder.

      5.    Offering  by the  Underwriters.  Upon  your  authorization  of the
release of the Firm Securities,  the several Underwriters propose to offer the
Firm  Securities  for sale to the  public  upon  the  terms  set  forth in the
Prospectus.

      6.    Covenants of the Company.  The Company  covenants  and agrees with
each of the Underwriters that:

            (a)   The  Company   will  use  its  best  efforts  to  cause  the
      Registration  Statement,  if not  effective  at the time of execution of
      this  Agreement,  and any  amendments  thereto  to become  effective  as
      promptly  as  possible.   If   required,   the  Company  will  file  the
      Prospectus  or any Term Sheet that  constitutes  a part  thereof and any
      amendment or  supplement  thereto with the  Commission in the manner and
      within the time period  required  by Rule 434 and 424(b)  under the Act.
      During  any  time  when  a  prospectus  relating  to the  Securities  is
      required  to be  delivered  under the Act,  the  Company (i) will comply
      with all  requirements  imposed  upon it by the Act and the Exchange Act
      and the respective  rules and  regulations of the Commission  thereunder
      to the  extent  necessary  to  permit  the  continuance  of  sales of or
      dealings in the Securities in accordance with the provisions  hereof and
      of  each  of the  Prospectus  and  any  Integrated  Prospectus,  as then
      amended or supplemented,  and (ii) will not file with the Commission the
      Prospectus  or the  amendment  referred  to in  the  third  sentence  of
      Section 2(a) hereof,  any amendment or supplement to such  prospectus or
      any  amendment  to  the  Registration   Statement  or  any  Rule  462(b)
      Registration   Statement   of  which  the   Representatives   shall  not
      previously  have been advised and furnished with a copy for a reasonable
      period of time prior to the  proposed  filing and as to which filing the
      Representatives shall not have given their consent;  provided,  that the
      foregoing  provision  of this clause (ii) does not  prohibit the Company
      from making  filings with the  Commission of statements and reports that
      it  reasonably  believes are required to be made under the Exchange Act.
      The Company will  prepare and file with the  Commission,  in  accordance
      with the rules and regulations of the Commission,  promptly upon request
      by the  Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters,  any amendments
      to the  Registration  Statement  or  amendments  or  supplements  to the
      Prospectus  and any  Integrated  Prospectus  that  may be  necessary  or
      advisable in connection  with the  distribution of the Securities by the
      several  Underwriters,  and will use its best  efforts to cause any such
      amendment to the Registration  Statement to be declared effective by the
      Commission  as  promptly  as  possible.  The  Company  will  advise  the
      Representatives,  promptly after receiving  notice thereof,  of the time
      when the Registration  Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed
      or declared  effective or the Prospectus  and any Integrated  Prospectus
      or any amendment or  supplement  thereto has been filed and will provide
      evidence  satisfactory  to the  Representatives  of each such  filing or
      effectiveness.

            (b)   The Company will advise the Representatives,  promptly after
      receiving notice or obtaining  knowledge thereof, of (i) the issuance by
      the  Commission of any stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of the
      Original   Registration   Statement  or  any  Rule  462(b)  Registration
      Statement or any post-effective  amendment thereto or any order directed
      at any document incorporated by reference in the Registration  Statement
      or  the  Prospectus  and  any  required  Integrated  Prospectus  or  any
      amendment or  supplement  thereto or any order  preventing or suspending
      the  use of  any  Preliminary  Prospectus,  or the  Prospectus  and  any
      Integrated  Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,  (ii) the
      suspension of the  qualification  of the Securities for offering or sale
      in   any   jurisdiction,   (iii)   the   institution,   threatening   or
      contemplation  of any  proceeding  for any  such  purpose  or  (iv)  any
      request made by the  Commission  for amending the Original  Registration
      Statement  or any Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement,  for amending or
      supplementing   any  Preliminary   Prospectus  the  Prospectus  and  any
      Integrated  Prospectus or for additional  information.  The Company will
      use its best  efforts to  prevent  the  issuance  of any such stop order
      and, if any such stop order is issued, to obtain the withdrawal  thereof
      as promptly as possible.

            (c)   The  Company  will  arrange  for  the  qualification  of the
      Securities  for offering and sale under the  securities or blue sky laws
      of such jurisdictions as the  Representatives  may reasonably  designate
      and will  continue such  qualifications  in effect for as long as may be
      necessary  to complete the  distribution  of the  Securities,  provided,
      however,  that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required
      to qualify as a foreign  corporation or to execute a general  consent to
      service of process in any jurisdiction.

            (d)   If, at any time  prior to the  later of (i) the  final  date
      when  a  prospectus  relating  to  the  Securities  is  required  to  be
      delivered  under  the Act or (ii) the  Option  Closing  Date,  any event
      occurs  as  a  result  of  which  the  Prospectus  as  then  amended  or
      supplemented,  would include any untrue  statement of a material fact or
      omit to state a material fact  necessary in order to make the statements
      therein,  in the light of the circumstances  under which they were made,
      not  misleading,  or if for any other reason it is necessary at any time
      to amend or  supplement,  the  Prospectus  to comply  with the Act,  the
      Exchange Act or the  respective  rules or  regulations of the Commission
      thereunder,   the  Company  will  promptly  notify  the  Representatives
      thereof and, subject to Section 6(a) hereof,  will prepare and file with
      the  Commission,   at  the  Company's  expense,   an  amendment  to  the
      Registration  Statement or an amendment or supplement to the  Prospectus
      or any  Integrated  Prospectus  that corrects such statement or omission
      or effects such compliance.

            (e)   The  Company  will,  without  charge,  provide  (i)  to  the
      Representatives  and to counsel for the Underwriters a conformed copy of
      the  registration   statement  originally  filed  with  respect  to  the
      Securities and each amendment  thereto (in each case including  exhibits
      thereto) or any Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement and (ii) so long as
      a  prospectus  relating to the  Securities  is required to be  delivered
      under the Act,  as many  copies of each  Preliminary  Prospectus  or the
      Prospectus or any  Integrated  Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
      thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request;  without limiting
      the  application  of clause (iii) of this  sentence,  the  Company,  not
      later  than  (A)  6:00  P.M.,  New  York  City  time,  on  the  date  of
      determination  of the  public  offering  price,  if  such  determination
      occurred at or prior to 10:00  A.M.,  New York City time on such date of
      (B) 2:00 P.M.,  New York City time,  on the business day  following  the
      date  of   determination   of  the  public   offering   price,  if  such
      determination  occurred  after 10:00 A.M.,  New York City time,  on such
      date, will deliver to the  Underwriters,  without charge, as many copies
      of the  Prospectus  and  any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto  as the
      Representatives  may  reasonably  request  for  purposes  of  confirming
      orders that are expected to settle on the Firm Closing Date.

            (f)   The Company,  as soon as  practicable  when  required,  will
      make   generally   available   to   its   securityholders   and  to  the
      Representatives  a  consolidated  earnings  statement of the Company and
      its  subsidiaries  that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the
      Act and Rule 158 thereunder.

            (g)   The Company  will apply the net proceeds to the Company from
      the sale of the  Securities  as set forth under "Use of Proceeds" in the
      Prospectus or any Integrated Prospectus.

            (h)   The Company will not,  directly or  indirectly,  without the
      prior written consent of Prudential Securities  Incorporated,  on behalf
      of the  Underwriters,  offer,  sell,  offer to sell,  contract  to sell,
      pledge,  grant any option to purchase or  otherwise  sell or dispose (or
      announce  any offer,  sale,  offer of sale,  contract  of sale,  pledge,
      grant of any option to  purchase  or other sale or  disposition)  of any
      shares  of  Common  Stock  or  any  securities   convertible   into,  or
      exchangeable or exercisable  for, shares of Common Stock for a period of
      90 days after the date hereof,  except  pursuant to this  Agreement  and
      except for  issuances  pursuant to the exercise of warrants  outstanding
      on the  date  hereof  and for  the  grant  of  options  pursuant  to the
      Company's  employee  stock option plans  existing on the date hereof and
      the  issuance  of Common  Stock upon the  exercise  of such  options and
      except for issuances of  additional  shares of Common Stock or rights to
      acquire Common Stock in connection  with  acquisitions  of businesses or
      assets or other  business  combinations,  provided that the Company will
      not grant any demand  registration  rights covering any shares issued in
      connection with any such  acquisition or business  combination  that are
      exercisable prior to 90 days following the date of this Agreement.

            (i)   The Company will not,  directly or indirectly,  (i) take any
      action  designed  to cause or to result in, or that has  constituted  or
      which might reasonably be expected to constitute,  the  stabilization or
      manipulation  of the price of any security of the Company to  facilitate
      the  sale or  resale  of the  Securities  or (ii)  (A)  sell,  bid  for,
      purchase,  or pay anyone any compensation  for soliciting  purchases of,
      the   Securities  or  (B)  pay  or  agree  to  pay  to  any  person  any
      compensation for soliciting  another to purchase any other securities of
      the  Company   (except  for  the  sale  of  Securities  by  the  Selling
      Securityholders  and  Additional  Selling   Securityholders  under  this
      Agreement and except in connection  with  acquisitions by the Company or
      its  subsidiaries  of  assets or  businesses  in the  oilfield  services
      industry).

            (j)   The Company will obtain the agreements  described in Section
      9(h) hereof prior to the Firm Closing Date.

            (k)   If  at  any  time  during  the  30-day   period   after  the
      Registration  Statement  becomes  effective  or the period  prior to the
      Option  Closing Date,  any rumor,  publication  or event  relating to or
      affecting  the Company  shall occur as a result of which in your opinion
      the  market  price  of the  Common  Stock  has been or is  likely  to be
      materially  affected  (regardless of whether such rumor,  publication or
      event  necessitates  a supplement to or amendment of the  Prospectus and
      any  Integrated  Prospectus),  the Company  will,  after notice from you
      advising  the Company to the effect set forth  above,  consult  with you
      concerning  the  necessity  and  substance  of a press  release or other
      public statement responding to or commenting on such rumor,  publication
      or event.

            (l)   If the Company  elects to rely on Rule  462(b),  the Company
      shall file a Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement with the Commission in
      compliance  with Rule 462(b) and pay the  applicable  fees in accordance
      with Rule 111 promulgated under the Act.

            (m)   The  Company   will  use  its  best  efforts  to  cause  the
      Securities  to be duly  authorized  for  listing by the  American  Stock
      Exchange.

      7.    Covenants  of  Selling  Securityholders  and  Additional  Selling
            -----------------------------------------------------------------
Securityholders.
- ----------------

            (a)   Each   Selling   Securityholder   and   Additional   Selling
      Securityholders  will not,  directly  or  indirectly,  without the prior
      written  consent of Prudential  Securities  Incorporated,  offer,  sell,
      offer to sell,  contract to sell,  pledge,  grant any option to purchase
      or  otherwise  sell or dispose (or announce  any offer,  sale,  offer of
      sale,  contract  of sale,  pledge,  grant of any option to  purchase  or
      other sale or  disposition)  of any Securities  legally or  beneficially
      owned  by such  Selling  Securityholder  or any  securities  convertible
      into, or exchangeable or exercisable for,  Securities for a period of 90
      days after the date hereof  except in  connection  with any  transfer of
      any  Securities  to a  related  party  that  agrees  to be bound by this
      restriction.

            (b)   Such   Selling   Securityholder   will  not,   directly   or
      indirectly,  (i) take any action designed to cause or result in, or that
      has  constituted  or which might  reasonably be expected to  constitute,
      the  stabilization  or  manipulation of the price of any security of the
      Company  to  facilitate  the sale or  resale of the  Securities  or (ii)
      sell, bid for,  purchase,  or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting
      purchases of, the  Securities  (except for the sale of Securities by the
      Selling Securityholders under this Agreement).

            (c)   Each Selling  Securityholder  agrees to deliver to you prior
      to or at the Firm Closing Date a properly  completed and executed United
      States  Treasury  Department  Form  W-9  (or  other  applicable  form or
      statement specified by Treasury Department regulation in lieu thereof).

      8.    Expenses.  The Company  will pay all costs and  expenses  incident
to the  performance of its obligations  under this  Agreement,  whether or not
the  transactions  contemplated  herein are  consummated  or this Agreement is
terminated  pursuant to  Section 13  hereof,  including all costs and expenses
incident to (i) the printing or other  production of documents with respect to
the transactions,  including any costs of printing the registration  statement
originally  filed with respect to the  Securities  and any amendment  thereto,
any Rule  462(b)  Registration  Statement,  any  Preliminary  Prospectus,  the
Prospectus  and any  Integrated  Prospectus  and any  amendment or  supplement
thereto,  this  Agreement and any blue sky  memoranda,  (ii) all  arrangements
relating  to the  delivery  to the  Underwriters  of copies  of the  foregoing
documents,  (iii) the fees and  disbursements of the counsel,  accountants and
any other  experts or advisors  retained  by the  Company,  (iv)  preparation,
issuance and delivery to the Underwriters of any  certificates  evidencing the
Securities,   including   transfer  agent's  and  registrar's  fees,  (v)  the
qualification  of the  Securities  under state  securities  and blue sky laws,
including  filing fees and reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of counsel for
the  Underwriters  relating  thereto,  (vi) the filing fees of the  Commission
(and the National  Association  of Securities  Dealers,  Inc.) relating to the
Securities,  (vii)  the  listing  of  the  Securities  on the  American  Stock
Exchange,  (viii) meetings with prospective investors in the Securities (other
than shall have been arranged by the Representatives or specifically  approved
by  the  Representatives  to  be  paid  for  by  the  Underwriters)  and  (ix)
advertising  relating to the offering of the Securities (other than shall have
been  specifically  approved  by the  Representatives  to be  paid  for by the
Underwriters).  If the  sale of the  Securities  provided  for  herein  is not
consummated  because any condition to the obligations of the  Underwriters set
forth  in  Section  9 hereof  is not  satisfied,  because  this  Agreement  is
terminated  pursuant to Section 13 hereof or because of any  failure,  refusal
or  inability  on the part of the  Company  to  perform  all  obligations  and
satisfy all  conditions  on its part to be performed  or  satisfied  hereunder
other  than by reason of a default  by any of the  Underwriters,  the  Company
will reimburse the  Underwriters  severally upon demand for all  out-of-pocket
expenses  (including fees and  disbursements  of counsel) that shall have been
incurred by them in  connection  with the  proposed  purchase  and sale of the
Securities.  The  Company  shall  not in any  event  be  liable  to any of the
Underwriters  for the  loss  of  anticipated  profits  from  the  transactions
covered by this Agreement.

      9.    Conditions of the  Underwriters'  Obligations.  The obligations of
the several  Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities shall be
subject,  in the  Representatives'  sole  discretion,  to the  accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company and each Selling  Securityholder
contained  herein as of the date hereof and as of the Firm Closing Date, as if
made on and as of the Firm Closing Date, to the accuracy of the  statements of
the Company's and each Selling Securityholder's  officers made pursuant to the
provisions  hereof,  to  the  performance  by the  Company  and  each  Selling
Securityholder of its covenants and agreements  hereunder and to the following
additional conditions:

            (a)   If the  Original  Registration  Statement  or any  amendment
      thereto  filed  prior to the  Firm  Closing  Date has not been  declared
      effective as of the time of execution hereof, the Original  Registration
      Statement  or such  amendment  and,  if the  Company has elected to rely
      upon Rule  462(b),  the Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement  shall have
      become  effective  not later  than the  earlier of (i) 11:00  A.M.,  New
      York  time,  on the  date on which  the  amendment  to the  registration
      statement  originally  filed with  respect to the  Securities  or to the
      Registration  Statement,  as the  case  may be,  containing  information
      regarding the initial  public  offering price of the Securities has been
      filed with the  Commission and (ii) the time  confirmations  are sent or
      given as  specified by Rule  462(b)(2),  or with respect to the Original
      Registration  Statement,  or such later time and date as shall have been
      consented to by the Representatives;  if required, the Prospectus or any
      Term  Sheet  that   constitutes  a  part  thereof  and  any   Integrated
      Prospectus  and any  amendment  or  supplement  thereto  shall have been
      filed with the  Commission  in the  manner  and  within the time  period
      required by Rule 434 and 424(b) under the Act; no stop order  suspending
      the  effectiveness of the Registration  Statement or any  post-effective
      amendment thereto and no order directed at any document  incorporated by
      reference  in  the  Registration  Statement  or  the  Prospectus  or any
      Integrated  Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto shall have
      been  issued  and no  proceedings  for  that  purpose  shall  have  been
      instituted  or  threatened  or, to the  knowledge  of the Company or the
      Representatives,  shall  be  contemplated  by the  Commission;  and  the
      Company  shall have  complied  with any  request of the  Commission  for
      additional  information (to be included in the  Registration  Statement,
      or the Prospectus or any Integrated Prospectus or otherwise).

            (b)   The  Representatives  shall have received an opinion,  dated
      the Firm Closing Date, of Fulbright & Jaworski  L.L.P.,  counsel for the
      Company, to the effect that:

                  (i)   the  Company  and each of its  subsidiaries  listed in
            Schedule   3  hereto   (the   "Subsidiaries")   have   been   duly
            incorporated  and are  validly  existing as  corporations  in good
            standing  under  the laws of  their  respective  jurisdictions  of
            incorporation;

                  (ii)  the  Company  and  each  of  the   Subsidiaries   have
            corporate  power to own or lease their  respective  properties and
            conduct   their   respective   businesses   as  described  in  the
            Registration  Statement  and  the  Prospectus  or  any  Integrated
            Prospectus,  and the  Company  has  corporate  power to enter into
            this  Agreement  and to carry  out all the  terms  and  provisions
            hereof and thereof to be carried out by it;

                  (iii) the  issued  shares  of  capital  stock of each of the
            Subsidiaries  have been duly  authorized and validly  issued,  are
            fully  paid  and  nonassessable  and,  except  as  noted  in  such
            opinion,  to such counsel's  knowledge,  are owned beneficially by
            the Company free and clear of any perfected security interest;

                  (iv)  the Company has an authorized,  capitalization  as set
            forth  in  the  Prospectus;   the   Securities,   other  than  the
            Securities  issuable on exercise of the  Warrants,  have been duly
            authorized   and   validly   issued   and  are   fully   paid  and
            nonassessable;  the Firm  Securities  have been duly authorized by
            all  necessary  corporate  action of the Company and,  when issued
            and  delivered  to and paid for by the  Underwriters  pursuant  to
            this   Agreement,   will  be  validly   issued,   fully  paid  and
            nonassessable;  the  Securities  have  been  duly  authorized  for
            listing,  subject to official notice of issuance,  on the American
            Exchange;  no holders of  outstanding  shares of capital  stock of
            the  Company  are  entitled  as such to any  preemptive  or  other
            rights to subscribe for any of the  Securities  under the Delaware
            General   Corporation   Law  or  the  Company's   Certificate   of
            Incorporation or by-laws; and to such counsel's knowledge,  except
            as disclosed in the  Prospectus,  no holders of  securities of the
            Company are entitled to have such securities  registered under the
            Registration  Statement  or to any  preemptive  or other rights to
            subscribe  for any of the  Securities  that are  contained  in any
            agreements described in clause (viii) (B) of this Section 9(b);

                  (v)   the Common Stock conforms in all material  respects to
            the description  thereof set forth under the heading  "Description
            of Capital Stock" in the Prospectus;

                  (vi)  the  execution  and  delivery of this  Agreement  have
            been duly  authorized  by all  necessary  corporate  action of the
            Company and this  Agreement  has been duly  executed and delivered
            by the Company;

                  (vii) to such  counsel's  knowledge,  there  are no legal or
            governmental  proceedings  pending  or  threatened  to  which  the
            Company  or any of the  Subsidiaries  is a party or to  which  the
            property  of the  Company  or any of the  Subsidiaries  is subject
            that are required to be described  in the  Registration  Statement
            and any Integrated  Prospectus and are not described therein; and,
            to such  counsel's  knowledge,  no contract  or other  document is
            required to be filed as an exhibit to the  Registration  Statement
            that is not described therein or filed as required;

                  (viii)      the   issuance,   offering   and   sale  of  the
            Securities  to the  Underwriters  by the Company  pursuant to this
            Agreement,   the   compliance   by  the  Company  with  the  other
            provisions  of this  Agreement and the  consummation  of the other
            transactions   herein   contemplated   do  not:  (A)  require  the
            consent,  approval,  authorization,  registration or qualification
            of or with any  governmental  authority having  jurisdiction  over
            the Company,  except such as have been  obtained or such as may be
            required  under state  securities  or blue sky laws;  (B) conflict
            with or result in a breach  of the  terms  and  provisions  of, or
            constitute  a default  under,  any  indenture,  mortgage,  deed of
            trust,  lease or other  instrument  relating to the  borrowing  of
            money  known  to  such   counsel  to  which  the  Company  or  any
            Subsidiary  is bound or any  other  agreement  identified  to such
            counsel by the  Company as being  material  to the Company and the
            Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole; or (C) violate the certificate of
            incorporation  or by-laws of the Company or the charter  documents
            or by-laws of any of the Subsidiaries;  or (D) violate any statute
            or judgment,  decree,  order,  rule or  regulation of any court or
            other  governmental  authority or arbiter known to such counsel to
            be applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries;

                  (ix)  the Registration  Statement has become effective under
            the  Act  and,  to such  counsel's  knowledge,  and no stop  order
            suspending the effectiveness of the Registration  Statement or any
            post-effective  amendment  thereto  and no order  directed  at any
            document incorporated by reference in the Registration  Statement,
            the Prospectus  and any Integrated  Prospectus or any amendment or
            supplement  thereto  has  been  issued,  and,  to  such  counsel's
            knowledge,  no proceedings  for that purpose have been  instituted
            or threatened or are contemplated by the Commission; and

                  (x)   the   Registration   Statement   and  the   Prospectus
            (excluding  the  financial   statements  and  other  financial  or
            statistical  information  contained or  incorporated  by reference
            therein and any  information  furnished by the  Underwriters,  the
            Selling     Securityholders     or    the    Additional    Selling
            Securityholders,   as  to  which  such  counsel  need  express  no
            opinion) comply or their face as to form in all material  respects
            with the  applicable  requirements  of the Act and the  respective
            rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Such counsel shall also state that it has  participated  in  conferences  with
officers and other  representatives  of the  Company,  the  Underwriters,  the
Selling  Securityholders and the Additional Selling  Securityholders,  counsel
to the Underwriters and  representatives of the independent public accountants
of the  Company  and  with  your  representatives,  at which  conferences  the
contents of the  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectus  were  discussed.
Although   such   counsel   need  not  pass  upon  and  does  not  assume  any
responsibility  for the accuracy,  completeness  or fairness of the statements
contained in the  Registration  Statement or the  Prospectus and need not make
any   representation   that  it  has  independently   verified  the  accuracy,
completeness or fairness of such statements,  such counsel shall state that on
the basis of the foregoing and the information  disclosed to it (relying as to
materiality to a large extent upon the officers and other  representatives  of
the Company, the Underwriters,  Selling Securityholders and Additional Selling
Securityholders),  (i) no facts came to its attention  that lead it to believe
that the  Registration  Statement,  as of the time it was  declared  effective
under the Act,  contained  any untrue  statement of a material fact or omitted
to state a material fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary in order
to make the statements  therein not misleading (it being  understood that such
counsel  need not express any view with respect to the  financial  statements,
including the notes and schedules  thereto and the auditor's  report  thereon,
or any other information of a financial, numerical,  statistical or accounting
nature set forth or referred to in the Registration  Statement or any document
incorporated therein by reference or any exhibits thereto),  and (ii) no facts
have  come to such  counsel's  attention  that  lead it to  believe  that  the
Prospectus,  as of the time it was filed with the  Commission,  contained  any
untrue  statement  of a material  fact or  omitted  to state a  material  fact
required to be stated  therein or  necessary  in order to make the  statements
therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under which they were made,  not
misleading  (it being  understood  that such counsel need not express any view
with respect to the  financial  statements,  including the notes and schedules
thereto  and the  auditor's  report  thereon,  or any other  information  or a
financial,  numerical,  statistical or accounting nature set forth or referred
to in the Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference).

            In  rendering  any such  opinion,  such  counsel  may rely,  as to
matters of fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper,  on  certificates of
responsible officers of the Company and public officials.

            References to the  Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus in
this  paragraph (b) shall  include any amendment or supplement  thereto at the
date of such opinion.

            (c)   The  Selling  Securityholders  shall have  furnished  to the
      Representatives  the  opinions  of  one  or  more  counsel,   reasonably
      satisfactory to the  Representatives,  for the Selling  Securityholders,
      dated the Closing Date, to the effect that:

                  (i)   each Selling  Securityholder  has full  corporate  and
            other power to enter into this  Agreement,  the Custody  Agreement
            and the  Power-of-Attorney  and to sell,  transfer and deliver the
            Securities being sold by such Selling Securityholder  hereunder in
            the  manner   provided  in  this  Agreement  and  to  perform  its
            obligations  under  the  Custody  Agreement;   the  execution  and
            delivery  of  this  Agreement,   the  Custody  Agreement  and  the
            Power-of-Attorney  have  been  duly  authorized  by all  necessary
            corporate  and other action of each Selling  Securityholder;  this
            Agreement,  the Custody Agreement and the  Power-of-Attorney  have
            been duly executed and  delivered by each Selling  Securityholder;
            assuming  due   authorization,   execution  and  delivery  by  the
            Custodian,  the Custody  Agreement and the  Power-of-Attorney  are
            the legal,  valid,  binding and  enforceable  instruments  of such
            Selling   Securityholder,   subject  to   applicable   bankruptcy,
            insolvency and similar laws affecting  creditors' rights generally
            and  subject,  as to  enforceability,  to  general  principles  of
            equity   (regardless  of  whether   enforcement  is  sought  in  a
            proceeding in equity or at law);

                  (ii)  the  delivery by each  Selling  Securityholder  to the
            several  Underwriters  of  certificates  for the Securities  being
            sold  hereunder by such  Selling  Securityholder  against  payment
            therefor  as  provided  herein,  will  convey  valid title to such
            Securities  to the  several  Underwriters,  free and  clear of all
            security  interests,  liens,  encumbrances,  equities,  claims  or
            other defects;

                  (iii) the  sale of the  Securities  to the  Underwriters  by
            such  Selling  Securityholder  pursuant  to  this  Agreement,  the
            compliance   by  such  Selling   Securityholder   with  the  other
            provisions  of  this  Agreement  the  Custody  Agreement  and  the
            consummation of the other transactions  herein contemplated do not
            (i) require the consent, approval, authorization,  registration or
            qualification of or with any governmental  authority,  except such
            as have been  obtained  and such as may be  required  under  state
            securities  or blue sky laws, or (ii) conflict with or result in a
            breach or  violation  of any of the terms  and  provisions  of the
            charter  documents  or by-laws of such Selling  Securityholder  or
            any of its  subsidiaries  or any statute or any judgment,  decree,
            order,  rule or  regulation  of any  court or  other  governmental
            authority   or  any   arbitrator   applicable   to  such   Selling
            Securityholder or any of its subsidiaries.

            In rendering  such  opinion,  such counsel may rely, as to matters
of  fact,  to the  extent  such  counsel  deems  proper,  on  certificates  of
responsible officers of the Company and public officials.

            References to the  Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus in
this  paragraph (c) shall  include any amendment or supplement  thereto at the
date of such opinion.

            (d)   The  Representatives  shall have received an opinion,  dated
      the Firm Closing Date, of Baker & Botts,  L.L.P.,  One Shell Plaza,  910
      Louisiana,  Houston,  Texas 77002,  counsel for the  Underwriters,  with
      respect  to  the  issuance  and  sale  of  the  Firm   Securities,   the
      Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus or any  Integrated  Prospectus,
      and such other related  matters as the  Representatives  may  reasonably
      require,  and the Company  shall have  furnished  to such  counsel  such
      documents  as they may  reasonably  request  for the purpose of enabling
      them to pass upon such matters.

            (e)   The  Representatives  shall have received from Ernst & Young
      LLP a letter or letters  dated,  respectively,  the date  hereof and the
      Firm  Closing  Date,  in  form  and   substance   satisfactory   to  the
      Representatives, to the effect that:

                  (i)   they are independent  accountants  with respect to the
            Company and its  consolidated  subsidiaries  within the meaning of
            the  Act,  and  the  Exchange  Act and the  applicable  rules  and
            regulations thereunder;

                  (ii)  in their opinion, the audited  consolidated  financial
            statements  and  schedules  examined  by them and  included in the
            Registration   Statement,   the   Prospectus  and  any  Integrated
            Prospectus  comply  in  form in all  material  respects  with  the
            applicable  accounting  requirements  of the Act, the Exchange Act
            and the related published rules and regulations thereunder;

                  (iii) on the  basis of a  reading  of the  latest  available
            interim unaudited  consolidated  condensed financial statements of
            the  Company  and  its  consolidated  subsidiaries,  carrying  out
            certain   specified   procedures   (which  do  not  constitute  an
            examination  made in accordance with generally  accepted  auditing
            standards)   that  would  not   necessarily   reveal   matters  of
            significance  with  respect  to the  comments  set  forth  in this
            paragraph   (iii),   a  reading  of  the   minute   books  of  the
            shareholders,  the board of directors and any  committees  thereof
            of the  Company  and each of its  consolidated  subsidiaries,  and
            inquiries   of  certain   officials   of  the   Company   and  its
            consolidated  subsidiaries who have  responsibility  for financial
            and  accounting  matters,  nothing  came to their  attention  that
            caused them to believe that:

                        (A)   the unaudited condensed  consolidated  financial
                  statements of the Company and its consolidated  subsidiaries
                  included or  incorporated  by reference in the  Registration
                  Statement,  the Prospectus and any Integrated  Prospectus do
                  not  comply  in  form  in all  material  respects  with  the
                  applicable accounting  requirements of the Act, the Exchange
                  Act  and  the  related   published   rules  and  regulations
                  thereunder,   or  are  not  in  conformity   with  generally
                  accepted   accounting   principles   applied   on  a   basis
                  substantially   consistent   with   that   of  the   audited
                  consolidated    financial   statements   included   in   the
                  Registration  Statement,  the  Prospectus and any Integrated
                  Prospectus; and

                        (B)   at a specific  date not more than five  business
                  days  prior  to the  date of such  letter,  there  were  any
                  changes  in the  capital  stock  or  long-term  debt  of the
                  Company and its  consolidated  subsidiaries or any decreases
                  in  net  current  assets  or  stockholders'  equity  of  the
                  Company  and its  consolidated  subsidiaries,  in each  case
                  compared with amounts  shown on the June 30, 1997  unaudited
                  condensed   consolidated   balance  sheet  included  in  the
                  Registration  Statement,  the  Prospectus and any Integrated
                  Prospectus,  or for the  period  from  July 1,  1997 to such
                  specified  date there were any  decreases,  as compared with
                  the  corresponding  period in the preceding  year and with a
                  period of corresponding  length ending on June 30,  1997, in
                  net  revenues,  net income  before  income taxes or total or
                  per  share  amounts  of net  income of the  Company  and its
                  consolidated  subsidiaries,  except  in  all  instances  for
                  changes, decreases or increases set forth in such letter;

                  (iv)  they have  carried out certain  specified  procedures,
            not  constituting  an audit,  with  respect  to  certain  amounts,
            percentages  and financial  information  that are derived from the
            general  accounting  records of the Company  and its  consolidated
            subsidiaries  and are included or incorporated by reference in the
            Registration   Statement,   the   Prospectus  and  any  Integrated
            Prospectus  and  have  compared  such  amounts,   percentages  and
            financial  information  with such  records of the  Company and its
            consolidated  subsidiaries and with information  derived from such
            records  and have found  them to be in  agreement,  excluding  any
            questions of legal interpretation; and

                  (v)   on the basis of a reading of the  unaudited  pro forma
            condensed   consolidated  financial  statements  included  in  the
            Registration   Statement,   the   Prospectus  and  any  Integrated
            Prospectus,  carrying out certain specified  procedures that would
            not  necessarily  reveal matters of  significance  with respect to
            the  comments  set  forth  in this  paragraph  (v),  inquiries  of
            certain   officials   of  the   Company   and   its   consolidated
            subsidiaries who have  responsibility for financial and accounting
            matters and proving the arithmetic  accuracy of the application of
            the  pro  forma  adjustments  to  the  historical  amounts  in the
            unaudited pro forma consolidated  condensed financial  statements,
            nothing came to their  attention  that caused them to believe that
            the  unaudited   pro  forma   consolidated   condensed   financial
            statements  do not comply in form in all  material  respects  with
            the   applicable   accounting   requirements   of  Rule  11-02  of
            Regulation  S-X or that the pro  forma  adjustments  have not been
            properly  applied to the historical  amounts in the compilation of
            such statements.

            In the  event  that the  letters  referred  to above set forth any
such changes,  decreases or increases,  it shall be a further condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters  that (A) such letters shall be accompanied by
a written  explanation of the Company as to the significance  thereof,  unless
the Representatives deem such explanation  unnecessary,  and (B) such changes,
decreases or increases  do not, in the sole  judgment of the  Representatives,
make it  impractical  or inadvisable to proceed with the purchase and delivery
of the Securities as contemplated by the  Registration  Statement,  as amended
as of the date hereof.

            References to the Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus and any
Integrated  Prospectus  in this  paragraph  (d) with respect to either  letter
referred to above shall  include any  amendment or  supplement  thereto at the
date of such letter.

            (f)   The  Representatives  shall  have  received  from  Coopers &
      Lybrand,  L.L.P.  a letter  or  letters  dated,  respectively,  the date
      hereof and the Firm Closing Date, in form and substance  satisfactory to
      the Representatives, to the effect that:

                  (i)   they are independent  accountants  with respect to the
            Company and its  consolidated  subsidiaries  and Quarles  Drilling
            Corporation  within the meaning of the Act,  and the  Exchange Act
            and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder;

                  (ii)  in their opinion,  the financial  statements  examined
            by  them  and  included  or   incorporated  by  reference  in  the
            Registration   Statement,   the   Prospectus  and  any  Integrated
            Prospectus  comply  in  form in all  material  respects  with  the
            applicable  accounting  requirements  of the Act, the Exchange Act
            and the related published rules and regulations thereunder;

            (g)   The  Representatives  shall  have  received  a  certificate,
      dated the Firm Closing Date, of the principal  executive officer and the
      principal  financial or accounting  officer of the Company to the effect
      that:

                  (i)   the  representations  and warranties of the Company in
            this  Agreement  are true and  correct as if made on and as of the
            Firm Closing Date; the  Registration  Statement,  as amended as of
            the Firm Closing Date, does not include any untrue  statement of a
            material  fact or omit to state any  material  fact  necessary  to
            make the  statements  therein not  misleading,  and the Prospectus
            and any Integrated  Prospectus,  as amended or  supplemented as of
            the Firm Closing Date, does not include any untrue  statement of a
            material  fact or omit to state any  material  fact  necessary  in
            order  to  make  the  statements  therein,  in  the  light  of the
            circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;  and the
            Company has performed all covenants and  agreements  and satisfied
            all  conditions  on its part to be  performed  or  satisfied at or
            prior to the Firm Closing Date;

                  (ii)  no stop  order  suspending  the  effectiveness  of the
            Registration  Statement or any  post-effective  amendment  thereto
            and no order  directed at any document  incorporated  by reference
            in the  Registration  Statement or the Prospectus or any amendment
            or  supplement  thereto has been issued,  and no  proceedings  for
            that purpose have been  instituted or  threatened  or, to the best
            of the Company's  knowledge,  are  contemplated by the Commission;
            and

                  (iii) subsequent  to  the  respective   dates  as  of  which
            information   is  given  in  the   Registration   Statement,   the
            Prospectus and any Integrated Prospectus,  neither the Company nor
            any of its  Subsidiaries  has  sustained any loss that is material
            to  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries   taken  as  a  whole  or
            interference  with their respective  businesses or properties from
            fire,  flood,  hurricane,  accident or other calamity,  whether or
            not covered by  insurance,  or from any labor dispute or any legal
            or  governmental  proceeding,  and there has not been any material
            adverse  change,  or  any  development   involving  a  prospective
            material   adverse   change,   in  the  condition   (financial  or
            otherwise),  management,  business prospects, net worth or results
            of  operations  of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries  taken as a
            whole,  except in each case as described in or contemplated by the
            Prospectus and any Integrated Prospectus.

            (h)   The  Representatives  shall have  received  from each person
      who is a director or officer of the Company an  agreement  to the effect
      that such person will not,  directly  or  indirectly,  without the prior
      written consent of Prudential Securities Incorporated,  on behalf of the
      Underwriters,  offer,  sell,  offer to sell,  contract to sell,  pledge,
      grant any option to purchase or  otherwise  sell or dispose (or announce
      any offer, sale, offer of sale,  contract of sale,  pledge,  grant of an
      option  to  purchase  or other  sale or  disposition)  of any  shares of
      Common Stock or any  securities  convertible  into, or  exchangeable  or
      exercisable  for,  shares of Common  Stock for a period of 90 days after
      the date of this  Agreement  except in  connection  with any transfer of
      any  Securities  to a  related  party  that  agrees  to be bound by this
      restriction.

            (i)   On or before the Firm Closing Date, the  Representatives and
      counsel  for  the   Underwriters   shall  have   received  such  further
      certificates,   documents  or  other   information   as  they  may  have
      reasonably requested from the Company.

            (j)   Prior  to  the   commencement   of  the   offering   of  the
      Securities,  the Securities  shall have been approved for listing on the
      Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance.

            All  opinions,  certificates,   letters  and  documents  delivered
pursuant to this  Agreement  will comply  with the  provisions  hereof only if
they  are   reasonably   satisfactory   in  all   material   respects  to  the
Representatives  and counsel for the  Underwriters.  The Company shall furnish
to the Representatives  such conformed copies of such opinions,  certificates,
letters and documents in such  quantities as the  Representatives  and counsel
for the Underwriters shall reasonably request.

            The  respective   obligations  of  the  several   Underwriters  to
purchase  and pay  for any  Option  Securities  shall  be  subject,  in  their
discretion,  to  each  of  the  foregoing  conditions  to  purchase  the  Firm
Securities,  except that all  references to the Firm  Securities  and the Firm
Closing  Date  shall be  deemed  to refer to such  Option  Securities  and the
related Option Closing Date, respectively.

      10.   Indemnification and Contribution.
            ---------------------------------

      (a)   The Company and, subject to the provisions of Section 10(e),  Drum
jointly and severally  agree to indemnify  and hold harmless each  Underwriter
and each person,  if any, who controls any  Underwriter  within the meaning of
Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the  Exchange  Act  against any losses,
claims,  damages or liabilities,  joint or several,  to which such Underwriter
or such controlling  person may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act
or  otherwise,  insofar as such losses,  claims,  damages or  liabilities  (or
actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon:

            (i)   any untrue  statement or alleged  untrue  statement  made by
      the Company in Section 2 of this Agreement,

            (ii)  any untrue  statement  or alleged  untrue  statement  of any
      material  fact  contained  in  (A)  the  Registration  Statement  or any
      amendment thereto,  any Preliminary  Prospectus,  the Prospectus and any
      Integrated  Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or (B) any
      application or other document,  or any amendment or supplement  thereto,
      executed by the Company or based upon written  information  furnished by
      or on  behalf  of the  Company  filed  in any  jurisdiction  in order to
      qualify the Securities  under the securities or blue sky laws thereof or
      filed with the  Commission or any  securities  association or securities
      exchange (each an "Application");

            (iii) the   omission   or  alleged   omission   to  state  in  the
      Registration   Statement  or  any  amendment  thereto,  any  Preliminary
      Prospectus  the   Prospectus  and  any  Integrated   Prospectus  or  any
      amendment or  supplement  thereto,  or any  Application  a material fact
      required  to be  stated  therein  or  necessary  to make the  statements
      therein not misleading; or

            (iv)  any untrue  statement  or alleged  untrue  statement  of any
      material  fact  contained  in any  audio  or  visual  materials  used in
      connection  with the  marketing  of the  Securities,  including  without
      limitation, slides, videos, films and tape recordings,

      and  will  reimburse,  as  incurred,  each  Underwriter  and  each  such
controlling  person for any legal or other  expenses  reasonably  incurred  by
such Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with  investigating,
defending  against or appearing as a third-party  witness in  connection  with
any such loss, claim, damage,  liability or action;  provided,  however,  that
the  Company  will not be liable in any such case to the extent  that any such
loss,  claim,  damage or  liability  arises out of or is based upon any untrue
statement or alleged untrue  statement or omission or alleged omission made in
such  registration   statement  or  any  amendment  thereto,  any  Preliminary
Prospectus,  the  Prospectus or any amendment or  supplement  thereto,  or any
Application  in  reliance  upon and in  conformity  with  written  information
furnished  to the  Company by such  Underwriter  through  the  Representatives
specifically  for use therein;  and provided,  further,  that the Company will
not be liable to any Underwriter or any person  controlling  such  Underwriter
with respect to any such untrue  statement or omission made in any Preliminary
Prospectus   that  is  corrected  in  the  Prospectus  (or  any  amendment  or
supplement  thereto) if the person asserting any such loss,  claim,  damage or
liability  purchased  Securities  from  such  Underwriter  but was not sent or
given a copy of the  Prospectus (as amended or  supplemented),  other than the
documents  incorporated  by  reference  therein,  at or prior  to the  written
confirmation  of the sale of such  Securities to such person in any case where
such delivery of the  Prospectus (as amended or  supplemented)  is required by
the Act,  unless  such  failure  to  deliver  the  Prospectus  (as  amended or
supplemented)  was a result of  noncompliance by the Company with Section 6(d)
and (a) of this  Agreement.  This  indemnity  agreement will be in addition to
any  liability  which the Company may  otherwise  have.  The Company will not,
without  the  prior  written   consent  of  the  Underwriter  or  Underwriters
purchasing,   in  the  aggregate,   more  than  fifty  percent  (50%)  of  the
Securities,  settle or  compromise  or consent to the entry of any judgment in
any pending or  threatened  claim,  action,  suit or  proceeding in respect of
which  indemnification  may be  sought  hereunder  (whether  or not  any  such
Underwriter  or any  person  who  controls  any such  Underwriter  within  the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the  Exchange Act is a party
to  such  claim,   action,  suit  or  proceeding),   unless  such  settlement,
compromise  or  consent  includes  an  unconditional  release  of  all  of the
Underwriters  and such controlling  persons from all liability  arising out of
such claim, action, suit or proceeding.

      (b)   Each Selling Securityholder,  severally and not jointly, agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Company,  each of its  directors,  each of its
officers who signs the Registration  Statement or any amendment thereto,  each
Underwriter  and each  person who  controls  the  Company  or any  Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the  Exchange Act
against any  losses,  claims,  damages or  liabilities,  joint or several,  to
which the Company,  any such director,  officer,  such Underwriter or any such
controlling  person may become  subject  under the Act,  the  Exchange  Act or
otherwise,  insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions
in respect  thereof)  arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue  statement
or  alleged   untrue   statement  of  any  material  fact   contained  in  the
Registration  Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary  Prospectus,
the  Prospectus  or any  Integrated  Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto,  or (ii) the  omission  or the alleged  omission  to state  therein a
material  fact  required  to be stated in the  Registration  Statement  or any
amendment  thereto,  any  Preliminary   Prospectus,   the  Prospectus  or  any
Integrated  Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or necessary to
make the statements  therein not misleading,  in each case to the extent,  but
only to the extent,  that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
omission or alleged  omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
the  written   information   furnished   to  the   Company  by  such   Selling
Securityholder  for use therein.  Subject to the  limitations set forth in the
immediately  preceding sentence,  each Selling  Securityholder,  severally and
not  jointly,  will  reimburse,  as  incurred,  any  legal or  other  expenses
reasonably  incurred  by  the  Company,  any  such  director,   officer,  such
Underwriter or any such  controlling  person in connection with  investigating
or defending any such loss, claim, damage,  liability or any action in respect
thereof.  This indemnity  agreement will be in addition to any liability which
any Selling  Securityholder  may otherwise have.  Each Selling  Securityholder
will  not,   without  the  prior  written   consent  of  the   Underwriter  or
Underwriters  purchasing,  in the aggregate,  more than fifty percent (50%) of
the  Securities,  settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment
in any pending or threatened claim,  action,  suit or proceeding in respect of
which  indemnification  may be  sought  hereunder  (whether  or not  any  such
Underwriter  or any  person  who  controls  any such  Underwriter  within  the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the  Exchange Act is a party
to  such  claim,   action,  suit  or  proceeding),   unless  such  settlement,
compromise  or  consent  includes  an  unconditional  release  of  all  of the
Underwriters  and such controlling  persons from all liability  arising out of
such claim, action, suit or proceeding.

      (c)   Each  Underwriter,  severally and not jointly,  will indemnify and
hold  harmless the Company,  each of its  directors,  each of its officers who
signed  the  Registration  Statement,  each  Selling  Securityholder  and each
Additional  Selling  Securityholder  and each person, if any, who controls the
Company,   such   Selling    Securityholder   or   such   Additional   Selling
Securityholder  within  the  meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of
the Exchange Act against any losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities to which
the Company or any such director, officer, Selling Securityholder,  Additional
Selling  Securityholder  or  controlling  person may become  subject under the
Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise,  insofar as such losses,  claims,  damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect  thereof) arise out of or are based upon
(i) any untrue  statement or alleged  untrue  statement  of any material  fact
contained  in  the  Registration  Statement  or  any  amendment  thereto,  any
Preliminary  Prospectus,  the Prospectus or any  Integrated  Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement  thereto,  or any  Application or (ii) the omission or
the alleged  omission to state  therein a material  fact required to be stated
in the  Registration  Statement  or any  amendment  thereto,  any  Preliminary
Prospectus,  the  Prospectus or any amendment or  supplement  thereto,  or any
Application or necessary to make the  statements  therein not  misleading,  in
each case to the extent,  but only to the extent,  that such untrue  statement
or alleged  untrue  statement  or  omission  or alleged  omission  was made in
reliance  upon and in  conformity  with written  information  furnished to the
Company by such Underwriter through the  Representatives  specifically for use
therein;  and, subject to the limitation set forth immediately  preceding this
clause,  will reimburse,  as incurred,  any legal or other expenses reasonably
incurred   by  the   Company   or  any   such   director,   officer,   Selling
Securityholder,  Additional  Selling  Securityholder or controlling  person in
connection  with  investigating  or defending  any such loss,  claim,  damage,
liability or any action in respect thereof.  This indemnity  agreement will be
in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.

      (d)   Promptly after receipt by an indemnified  party under this Section
10 of notice of the commencement of any action,  such indemnified  party will,
if a claim in respect  thereof is to be made  against the  indemnifying  party
under this  Section  10,  notify the  indemnifying  party of the  commencement
thereof;  but the  omission  so to  notify  the  indemnifying  party  will not
relieve  it from any  liability  which it may  have to any  indemnified  party
otherwise  than  under  this  Section  10. In case any such  action is brought
against any indemnified  party, and it notifies the indemnifying  party of the
commencement  thereof,  the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate
therein  and,  to the  extent  that  it  may  wish,  jointly  with  any  other
indemnifying  party similarly  notified,  to assume the defense thereof,  with
counsel  satisfactory to such indemnified party;  provided,  however,  that if
the defendants in any such action include both the  indemnified  party and the
indemnifying  party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably  concluded
that  there may be one or more legal  defenses  available  to the  indemnified
party and/or other indemnified  parties which are different from or additional
to  those   available   to  the   indemnifying   party  and  would   make  the
representation  of all such  parties  inappropriate,  the  indemnifying  party
shall not have the right to direct  the  defense  of such  action on behalf of
such indemnified  party or parties and such indemnified party or parties shall
have the right to select  separate  counsel to defend such action on behalf of
such indemnified  party or parties.  After notice from the indemnifying  party
to such  indemnified  party of its  election so to assume the defense  thereof
and  approval by such  indemnified  party of counsel  appointed to defend such
action,  the indemnifying  party will not be liable to such indemnified  party
under this Section 10 for any legal or other  expenses,  other than reasonable
costs of  investigation,  subsequently  incurred by such indemnified  party in
connection with the defense  thereof,  unless (i) the indemnified  party shall
have  employed  separate  counsel in  accordance  with the proviso to the next
preceding  sentence (it being  understood,  however,  that in connection  with
such action the  indemnifying  party  shall not be liable for the  expenses of
more than one  separate  counsel  (in  addition  to local  counsel) in any one
action or separate but substantially  similar actions in the same jurisdiction
arising out of the same general  allegations or  circumstances,  designated by
the  Representatives  in the  case  of  paragraph  (a)  of  this  Section  10,
representing the indemnified  parties under such paragraph (a) who are parties
to such action or actions) or (ii) the  indemnifying  party does not  promptly
retain  counsel   satisfactory   to  the   indemnified   party  or  (iii)  the
indemnifying   party  has   authorized  the  employment  of  counsel  for  the
indemnified  party  at the  expense  of the  indemnifying  party.  After  such
notice  from  the   indemnifying   party  to  such   indemnified   party,  the
indemnifying  party  will not be  liable  for the costs  and  expenses  of any
settlement  of such action  effected  by such  indemnified  party  without the
consent of the indemnifying party.

      (e)   The indemnification  obligations of Drum pursuant to Section 10(a)
are  subject to the  following  provision:  Drum shall not have any  liability
under this  Agreement in an amount  exceeding  the amount of cash  received by
him  upon  the  sale  of  his  Common  Stock.  No  Selling  Securityholder  or
Additional  Selling  Securityholder,  as  applicable,  shall be  liable to the
Underwriters  for a breach of the  representations  in Section 3(f) for (i) in
the event of sales of Common Stock to the  Underwriters,  an amount  exceeding
the amount of cash  received  by such  Selling  Securityholder  or  Additional
Selling  Securityholder  upon the  sale of its  Common  Stock  and (ii) in the
event of sales of  Warrants  to the  Underwriters,  an  amount  exceeding  the
amount of cash received by such  Additional  Selling  Securityholder  upon the
sale of its Warrant plus the exercise price for such Warrant.

      (f)   In circumstances in which the indemnity  agreement provided for in
the preceding  paragraphs of this Section 10 is unavailable  or  insufficient,
for any  reason,  to hold  harmless  an  indemnified  party in  respect of any
losses, claims,  damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof),  each
indemnifying  party, in order to provide for just and equitable  contribution,
shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified  party as a
result of such losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) in such  proportion  as is  appropriate  to reflect (i) the  relative
benefits  received  by the  indemnifying  party or parties on the one hand and
the  indemnified  party or  parties  on the  other  from the  offering  of the
Securities or (ii) if the allocation  provided by the foregoing  clause (i) is
not permitted by applicable law, not only such relative  benefits but also the
relative  fault of the  indemnifying  party or parties on the one hand and the
indemnified  party or parties on the other in connection  with the  statements
or omissions or alleged  statements or omissions that resulted in such losses,
claims,  damages or liabilities  (or actions in respect  thereof),  as well as
any other relevant  equitable  considerations.  The relative benefits received
by the  Company  and  the  Selling  Securityholders  on the one  hand  and the
Underwriters  on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the
total proceeds from the offering (before deducting  expenses)  received by the
Company  and  the  Selling  Securityholders  bear  to the  total  underwriting
discounts and  commissions  received by the  Underwriters.  The relative fault
of the parties  shall be  determined  by  reference  to,  among other  things,
whether  the  untrue or alleged  untrue  statement  of a material  fact or the
omission or alleged  omission to state a material fact relates to  information
supplied by the Company, the Selling Securityholders or the Underwriters,  the
parties' relative intent, knowledge,  access to information and opportunity to
correct  or  prevent  such  statement  or  omission,  and any other  equitable
considerations  appropriate  in the  circumstances.  The Company,  the Selling
Securityholders  and the Underwriters  agree that it would not be equitable if
the  amount of such  contribution  were  determined  by pro rata or per capita
allocation  (even if the  Underwriters  were  treated  as one  entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation  that does not take into account
the  equitable  considerations  referred  to  above  in  this  paragraph  (d).
Notwithstanding  any other  provision of this  paragraph  (d), no  Underwriter
shall be  obligated  to make  contributions  hereunder  that in the  aggregate
exceed the total public  offering  price of the  Securities  purchased by such
Underwriter  under this  Agreement,  less the aggregate  amount of any damages
that such  Underwriter  has  otherwise  been required to pay in respect of the
same or any  substantially  similar claim,  and no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation  (within the  meaning of Section  11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled  to  contribution  from  any  person  who  was  not  guilty  of  such
fraudulent  misrepresentation.  The  Underwriters'  obligations  to contribute
hereunder  are  several  in  proportion  to  their   respective   underwriting
obligations  and not joint,  and  contributions  among  Underwriters  shall be
governed by the provisions of the Prudential  Securities  Incorporated  Master
Agreement  Among  Underwriters.  For  purposes  of this  paragraph  (d),  each
person,  if any, who controls an Underwriter  within the meaning of Section 15
of the Act or Section  20 of the  Exchange  Act shall have the same  rights to
contribution  as such  Underwriter,  and each  director of the  Company,  each
officer of the Company who signed the Registration  Statement and each person,
if any,  who  controls  the Company or any Selling  Securityholder  within the
meaning of Section 15 of the Act or  Section  20 of the  Exchange  Act,  shall
have  the  same  rights  to  contribution  as  the  Company  or  such  Selling
Securityholder, as the case may be.

      11.   Default of Underwriters.  If one or more  Underwriters  default in
their obligations to purchase Firm Securities or Option  Securities  hereunder
and the aggregate  number of such Securities that such defaulting  Underwriter
or  Underwriters  agreed but failed to  purchase is ten percent or less of the
aggregate  number of Firm  Securities or Option  Securities to be purchased by
all of the  Underwriters at such time hereunder,  the other  Underwriters  may
make  arrangements  satisfactory  to the  Representatives  for the purchase of
such  Securities  by  other  persons  (who  may  include  one or  more  of the
non-defaulting  Underwriters,  including the Representatives),  but if no such
arrangements  are made by the Firm Closing Date or the related  Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, the other Underwriters shall be obligated  severally
in proportion to their respective  commitments  hereunder to purchase the Firm
Securities  or  Option   Securities  that  such   defaulting   Underwriter  or
Underwriters  agreed but failed to purchase.  If one or more  Underwriters  so
default with respect to an aggregate  number of  Securities  that is more than
ten percent of the aggregate  number of Firm Securities or Option  Securities,
as the case may be, to be  purchased by all of the  Underwriters  at such time
hereunder,  and if arrangements  satisfactory to the  Representatives  are not
made within 36 hours  after such  default  for the  purchase by other  persons
(who may include  one or more of the  non-defaulting  Underwriters,  including
the  Representatives)  of the  Securities  with  respect to which such default
occurs,  this Agreement will  terminate  without  liability on the part of any
non-defaulting  Underwriter  or the Company  other than as provided in Section
12  hereof.  In the  event  of any  default  by one or  more  Underwriters  as
described  in this  Section  11, the  Representatives  shall have the right to
postpone  the Firm Closing Date or the Option  Closing  Date,  as the case may
be,  established  as  provided  in  Section 4 hereof  for not more than  seven
business  days  in  order  that  any  necessary  changes  may be  made  in the
arrangements   or  documents  for  the  purchase  and  delivery  of  the  Firm
Securities  or  Option  Securities,  as the  case  may  be.  As  used  in this
Agreement,  the term  "Underwriter"  includes  any person  substituted  for an
Underwriter   under  this  Section  11.   Nothing  herein  shall  relieve  any
defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

      12.   Survival.    The    respective    representations,     warranties,
agreements,  covenants,  indemnities and other statements of the Company,  its
officers,  the Selling  Securityholders and the several Underwriters set forth
in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them,  respectively,  pursuant to
this  Agreement  shall remain in full force and effect,  regardless of (i) any
investigation  made by or on behalf of the  Company,  any of its  officers  or
directors,  and Selling  Securityholder  any  Underwriter  or any  controlling
person  referred to in Section 10 hereof and (ii)  delivery of and payment for
the Securities.  The respective agreements,  covenants,  indemnities and other
statements  set forth in Sections 8 and 10 hereof  shall  remain in full force
and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

      13.   Termination.  (a) This  Agreement may be  terminated  with respect
to the Firm Securities or any Option  Securities in the sole discretion of the
Representatives  by notice to the Company given prior to the Firm Closing Date
or the  related  Option  Closing  Date,  respectively,  in the event  that the
Company  or any  Selling  Securityholder  shall have  failed,  refused or been
unable to perform all  obligations  and satisfy all  conditions on its part to
be performed or satisfied  hereunder at or prior thereto or, if at or prior to
the Firm Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, respectively;

            (i)   the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  shall have,  in the
      sole  judgment of the  Representatives,  sustained  any material loss or
      interference  with their respective  businesses or properties from fire,
      flood, hurricane,  accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by
      insurance,  or from any  labor  dispute  or any  legal  or  governmental
      proceeding or there shall have been any material adverse change,  or any
      development  involving a prospective  material adverse change (including
      without  limitation a change in  management  or control of the Company),
      in the  condition  (financial or  otherwise),  business  prospects,  net
      worth or results of  operations  of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries,
      except in each case as described in or  contemplated  by the  Prospectus
      (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto);

            (ii)  trading in the Common  Stock  shall have been  suspended  by
      the  Commission or the American  Stock Exchange or trading in securities
      generally  on the New York or American  Stock  Exchange  shall have been
      suspended or minimum or maximum  prices shall have been  established  on
      either any such exchange;

            (iii) a banking  moratorium  shall have been  declared by New York
      or United States authorities; or

            (iv)  there  shall  have been (A) an  outbreak  or  escalation  of
      hostilities  between  the United  States and any foreign  power,  (B) an
      outbreak  or  escalation  of any other  insurrection  or armed  conflict
      involving  the  United  States  or (C) any other  calamity  or crisis or
      material  adverse  change in general  economic,  political  or financial
      conditions  having an effect on the U. S. financial markets that, in the
      sole  judgment  of  the   Representatives,   makes  it   impractical  or
      inadvisable  to proceed with the public  offering or the delivery of the
      Securities as contemplated by the Registration  Statement, as amended as
      of the date hereof.

      (b)   Termination  of this  Agreement  pursuant to this Section 13 shall
be without  liability  of any party to any other  party  except as provided in
Section 12 hereof.

      14.   Information  Supplied by  Underwriters.  The  statements set forth
in the  last  paragraph  on  the  front  cover  page  and  under  the  heading
"Underwriting"   in  any  Preliminary   Prospectus,   the  Prospectus  or  any
Integrated   Prospectus  (to  the  extent  such   statements   relate  to  the
Underwriters)  constitute the only  information  furnished by any  Underwriter
through the  Representatives  to the Company for the purposes of Sections 2(b)
and 10  hereof.  The  Underwriters  confirm  that  such  statements  (to  such
extent) are correct.

      15.   Notices.  All  communications  hereunder  shall be in writing and,
if sent to any of the Underwriters,  shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex
or facsimile  transmission  and confirmed in writing to Prudential  Securities
Incorporated,  One New York Plaza, New York, New York 10292, Attention: Equity
Transactions Group,  (facsimile:  (212) 778-4312); and if sent to the Company,
shall be  delivered  or sent by  mail,  telex or  facsimile  transmission  and
confirmed  in writing to the Company at 16800  Greenspoint  Park,  Suite 225N,
Houston,  Texas  77060,  (facsimile:  (281)  873-4141);  and if to the Selling
Securityholders,  shall  be  delivered  or sent by mail,  telex  or  facsimile
transmission  and  confirmed  in writing to the  Selling  Securityholders  c/o
Vaughn E. Drum at 16800  Greenspoint  Park,  Suite  225N,  Houston,  TX 77630,
(facsimile:  (281) 873-4141).

      16.   Successors.  This  Agreement  shall  inure to the  benefit  of and
shall be binding  upon the  several  Underwriters,  the  Company,  the Selling
Securityholders  the Additional Selling  Securityholders  and their respective
successors and legal  representatives,  and nothing  expressed or mentioned in
this  Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any
legal or  equitable  right,  remedy  or  claim  under  or in  respect  of this
Agreement,  or  any  provisions  herein  contained,  this  Agreement  and  all
conditions and  provisions  hereof being intended to be and being for the sole
and  exclusive  benefit of such persons and for the benefit of no other person
except  that (i) the  indemnities  of the Company  contained  in Section 10 of
this  Agreement  shall also be for the  benefit  of any person or persons  who
control  any  Underwriter  within  the  meaning  of  Section  15 of the Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act and (ii) the  indemnities  of the  Underwriters
contained in Section 8 of this Agreement  shall also be for the benefit of the
Selling Securityholders, the Additional Selling Securityholders,  directors of
the  Company,  the  officers of the  Company who have signed the  Registration
Statement  and any  person or  persons  who  control  the  Company  within the
meaning  of  Section  15 of the Act or  Section  20 of the  Exchange  Act.  No
purchaser  of  Securities  from any  Underwriter  shall be deemed a  successor
because of such purchase.

      17.   APPLICABLE   LAW.  THE  VALIDITY   AND   INTERPRETATION   OF  THIS
AGREEMENT,  AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS  SET FORTH HEREIN,  SHALL BE GOVERNED
BY AND  CONSTRUED  IN  ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE LAWS OF THE  STATE  OF NEW  YORK,
WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY PROVISIONS RELATING TO CONFLICTS OF LAWS.

      18.   Consent to  Jurisdiction  and  Service of  Process.  All  judicial
proceedings  arising out of or relating  to this  Agreement  may be brought in
any  state or  federal  court of  competent  jurisdiction  in the State of New
York,  and  by  execution  and  delivery  of  this  Agreement,   each  Selling
Securityholder  accepts  for itself  and in  connection  with its  properties,
generally and unconditionally,  the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid
courts and waives any defense of forum non conveniens and  irrevocably  agrees
to be  bound  by  any  judgment  rendered  thereby  in  connection  with  this
Agreement.  Each Selling  Securityholder  designates  and  appoints  Vaughn E.
Drum and such other  persons as may  hereafter  be  selected  by each  Selling
Securityholder  irrevocable  agreeing in writing to so serve,  as its agent to
receive on its behalf  service of all process in any such  proceedings  in any
such court, such service being hereby  acknowledged by the Selling Shareholder
to be  effective  and  binding  service in every  respect.  A copy of any such
process  so  served  shall  be  mailed  by  registered  mail  to  the  Selling
Securityholder  at its  address  provided  in  Section  15  hereof;  provided,
however,  that,  unless  otherwise  provided by applicable law, any failure to
mail such copy shall not affect the  validity of service of such  process.  If
any agent appointed by a Selling Shareholder  refuses to accept service,  such
Selling  Securityholder  hereby agrees that service of process  sufficient for
personal  jurisdiction  in any action against each Selling  Securityholder  in
the State of New York may be made by  registered  or  certified  mail,  return
receipt  requested,  to the Selling  Shareholder  at its  address  provided in
Section 15 hereof, and each Selling  Securityholder  hereby  acknowledges that
such service shall be effective and binding in every  respect.  Nothing herein
shall affect the right to serve  process in any other manner  permitted by law
or shall limit the right of any Underwriter to bring  proceedings  against the
Selling Securityholder in the courts of any other jurisdiction.

      19.   Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be  executed  in  two or  more
counterparts,  each of which  shall be  deemed an  original,  but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

            If the foregoing  correctly sets forth our  understanding,  please
indicate  your  acceptance  thereof  in the  space  provided  below  for  that
purpose,  whereupon  this letter shall  constitute  an  agreement  binding the
Company and each of the several Underwriters.

                                          Very truly yours,

                                          UTI ENERGY CORP.



                                          By /s/ Mark S. Siegel
                                             -----------------------------
                                              Name:
                                              Title:

                                          SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS



                                          By /s/ Mark S. Siegel
                                             -----------------------------
                                              Name:
                                              Attorney-in-Fact for
                                                   Selling Securityholders


The foregoing Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the
date first above written.

PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
RAUSCHER PIERCE REFSNES, INC.
SIMMONS & COMPANY INTERNATIONAL

By PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED


By /s/ Jean-Claude Canfin
   --------------------------------
    Jean-Claude Canfin
    Managing Director

For itself and on behalf of the Representatives.






                             SCHEDULE 1-A

                        SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS



                                                      Number of
                                                   Firm Securities
Selling Securityholders:                               to be Sold
                                                       ----------

Remy Capital Partners III, L.P...................      1,772,888
Remy Investors and Consultants, Incorporated.....           ----
Quarles Drilling Corporation.....................        733,779
Shamrock Holdings of California, Inc.............        533,333
Sam K. Viersen Family Foundation, Inc............        200,000
The Sam K. Viersen Trust dated September 9, 1986,
    as Amended and Restated on May 11, 1994......        400,000
Canpartners Investments IV, L.L.C................        720,000
Four Flags Drilling Company......................         60,000
Neil E. Hanson...................................         31,800
Chris N. Hanson..................................         30,000
Kurt M. Hanson...................................         14,400
Erik G. Hanson...................................         28,800
Kenneth N. Berns.................................           ----
Vaughn E. Drum...................................      ---------
                                                       4,525,000
                                                       =========
                                                    


                             SCHEDULE 1-B

                  ADDITIONAL SELLING SECURITYHOLDERS


                                                   Number of Option
                                                   Securities to be
                                                   sold if Maximum
Additional Selling Securityholders:                Option Exercised
                                                   ----------------

Remy Capital Partners III, L.P..................      192,775
Remy Investors and Consultants, Incorporated....      165,000
Kenneth N. Berns................................       30,000
Vaughn E. Drum..................................      112,500
                                                      -------
                                                      500,175
                                                      =======


                              SCHEDULE 2

                             UNDERWRITERS

                                                               Number of Firm
                                                                Securities to
Underwriter                                                     be Purchased
                                                                ------------

Prudential Securities Incorporated...............................  804,250
Lehman Brothers Inc..............................................  804,250
Rauscher Pierce Refsnes, Inc.....................................  804,250
Simmons & Company International..................................  804,250
Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc..........................................  124,000
BT Alex Brown Incorporated.......................................  124,000
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation...........................  124,000
Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation..............  124,000
Goldman, Sachs & Co..............................................  124,000
Howard, Weil, Labouisse, Friedrichs Incorporated.................  124,000
Jefferies & Company, Inc.........................................  124,000
Lazard Freres & Co. LLC..........................................  124,000
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated...............  124,000
J P Morgan Securities Inc........................................  124,000
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated................................  124,000
Oppenheimer & Co., Inc...........................................  124,000
PaineWebber Incorporated.........................................  124,000
Salomon Brothers Inc.............................................  124,000
SBC Warburg Dillon Read Inc......................................  124,000
Schroder & Co. Inc...............................................  124,000
Smith Barney Inc.................................................  124,000
Advest, Inc......................................................   62,000
Crowell, Weedon & Co.............................................   62,000
Janney Montgomery Scott Inc......................................   62,000
McDonald & Company Securities, Inc...............................   62,000
Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.....................................   62,000
Petrie Parkman & Co..............................................   62,000
Principal Financial Securities, Inc..............................   62,000
Sutro & Co. Incorporated.........................................   62,000
Tucker Anthony Incorporated......................................   62,000
George K. Baum & Company.........................................   31,000
Brean Murray & Co., Inc..........................................   31,000
First Southwest Company..........................................   31,000
Hoak Breedlove Wesneski & Co,....................................   31,000
Johnson Rice & Company L.L.C.....................................   31,000
Pennsylvania Merchant Group Ltd..................................   31,000
Southcoast Capital Corporation...................................   31,000
                                                                   -------

 .....Total ...................................................    6,100,000
                                                                  =========


                              SCHEDULE 3

                             SUBSIDIARIES


Name                                                  Jurisdiction of
- ----                                                  Incorporation
                                                      ---------------

UTICO, Inc.                                                 Delaware
Triad Drilling Company                                      Delaware
FWA Drilling Company, Inc.                                  Delaware
International Petroleum Service Company                 Pennsylvania
Universal Well Services, Inc.                               Delaware
J.S.M. & Associates, Inc.                                      Texas



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