PATTERSON UTI ENERGY INC
FORM OF LETTER AGREEMENT REGARDING TERMINATION
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-10.23
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>d22433exv10w23.htm
<DESCRIPTION>FORM OF LETTER AGREEMENT REGARDING TERMINATION
<TEXT>
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>exv10w23</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
<!-- PAGEBREAK -->
<H5 align="left" style="page-break-before:always">&nbsp;</H5><P>
<DIV style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">



<P align="right" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>Exhibit&nbsp;10.23</B>



<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt"><B>Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.<BR>
Letterhead</B>



<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">October&nbsp;22, 2004



<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Name<BR>
Address



<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">Dear _____________:



<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This letter confirms and evidences the existing agreement between Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
(the &#147;Company&#148;) and you pursuant to which the Company agrees to pay to you within ten (10)&nbsp;days of
your termination of employment with the Company for any reason (including voluntary termination by
you), an amount in cash equal to your annual base salary at the time of such termination. You
agree that any payment made pursuant to the agreement evidenced in this letter will reduce dollar
for dollar any payment owed to you, if any, pursuant to the Change in Control Agreement dated
January&nbsp;29, 2004 between the Company and you or any agreement in substitution therefore. You agree
that this letter agreement evidences and supercedes any oral understanding between the Company and
you with respect to the payment of a cash severance payment to you upon your termination.


<P align="left" style="font-size: 10pt">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Please acknowledge your agreement below.

<DIV align="center">
<TABLE style="font-size: 10pt" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD width="20%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="10%">&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD width="60%">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">PATTERSON-UTI ENERGY, INC.</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">
</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">By:<U>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U><U>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U><U>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U><U>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U></TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">Acknowledged and Agreed this<BR></DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&#95;&#95;&#95;day of October, 2004</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">&nbsp;</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px"><U>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U><U>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U><U>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U><U>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</U></DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<TR valign="bottom">
    <TD align="center" valign="top"><DIV style="margin-left:0px; text-indent:-0px">Name</DIV></TD>
    <TD>&nbsp;</TD>
    <TD align="left" valign="top">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</TABLE>
</DIV>



<P align="center" style="font-size: 10pt">
</DIV>


</BODY>
</HTML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
