Patterson Energy, Inc., a Snyder, Texas based energy company, is one of the leading providers of domestic land- based drilling services to major and independent oil and natural gas companies. Patterson currently owns 131 drilling rigs (119 of which are currently operable ) and focuses its operations in Texas and southeast New Mexico. The Company, through separate wholly-owned subsidiaries, provides drilling fluids to the oil and natural gas industry and is also engaged in the development, exploration, acquistion and production of oil and natural gas.